Category Archives: International Posts

Outside EU / UK / US

Why America’s Love Affair with Cars Is No Accident

why-americas-love-affair-cars-no-accident_1The auto industry campaigned against the relatively bloody rise of cars in the early 20th century via TV, the term “jaywalker” and school safety patrols

Drivers may feel spooked by seeing the first self-driving cars appear in coming years. But the new era could prove far less disruptive and bloody than the automobile’s 20th-century battle to push pedestrians off U.S. streets.

Read article

Economic benefits of cycling in the EU-27

German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Europe’s biggest bike trade fair Eurobike last Wednesday, signaling a huge step forward for the cycling advocacy movement. At the same time ECF released its analysis of the “Economic benefits of cycling in the EU-27” making it clear that such high level interest in cycling is set to continue. Senior politicians are beginning to realize that daily cycling not only changes the face of our cities for the better, it also makes much sense in economic terms.

Continue reading Economic benefits of cycling in the EU-27

On your bike! Google Maps now includes cycling directions

googlemapsbike-2-630x379HERE’S SOME NEWS to put Ireland’s cyclists in a good mood for the weekend: Google Maps now allows users to find cycling directions between any two points in Ireland.

The feature has been added to Google Maps as of this evening, and aims to find the optimal cycling path between any two locations in the country. Continue reading On your bike! Google Maps now includes cycling directions

ECF calls on national ministers to co-found local cycling infrastructure

7142320833_6744b13794_b

ECF urges OECD transport ministers to co-found local cycling strategies at the annual summit of the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany. As the theme of this year’s summit is “Funding Transport”, ECF is sending an open letter to the participating governments, demanding them to finance bicycle promotion on the national level.

“No other form of transport has a higher cost-benefit ratio than cycling,” says ECF Secretary General Dr. Bernhard Ensink. “National transport ministers now have to step up and make a pledge to include cycling in their national funding strategies. This year we have an opportunity to be listened to as many governments are dealing with tight budgets. And the Netherlands, Denmark, and Hungary are three examples that have shown this strategy works.” Continue reading ECF calls on national ministers to co-found local cycling infrastructure