Today, 3 June, is the United Nations’ (UN) World Bicycle Day. It is a day to encourage UN Member States to include bicycle transit in their mobility policies, plans and projects.

Cycling is low emissions, affordable, and can improve riders’ health. Bicycles have even been associated with other benefits, including as a means of accessing education and healthcare, and as fostering social engagement and creativity. A 2018 study even found that European cities could avoid up to 10,000 premature deaths by expanding cycling networks.

ICLEI Members are among the many cities working to improve safe bicycle infrastructure and accessibility. These efforts span Europe, from Warsaw (Poland)’s introduction of electric, children’s and tandem bikes to their bike-sharing scheme, to Freiburg (Germany) adopting its own bike-sharing system, and Brussels (Belgium)’s newly approved mobility plan that aims to increase bicycling in the city fourfold by 2030.

ICLEI Europe has an array of projects that support cities in promoting bicycling and many other multimodality solutions. This includes work on the CIVITAS Handshake programme that supports the uptake and replication of integrated cycling solutions, and on EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, a European Commission initiative taking place from 16-22 September, whose 2019 theme puts a spotlight on safe walking and cycling.

This World Bicycle Day, we encourage you to reflect on bicycle use and infrastructure in your community. How can you promote safe bicycle transit? How can you use bicycling to foster sustainable development across multiple themes (such as improved citizen health and social inclusion)? What best practices have you mastered, and which could you adopt to further improve bicycling in your locale?

For more information on ICLEI Europe’s work in sustainable mobility, click here.