Unveiling the Workings of the EU Bicycle Friendship Initiative
The European Union's Handshake project is a collaborative initiative that brings together thirteen cities, aiming to revolutionise cycling development with a budget of nearly five million euros. The project, running from 2018 to 2022, pairs ten 'future cycling capitals' with one of the three 'cycling capitals' for mentorship and inspiration.
The Handshake project focuses on promoting and improving cycling infrastructure and culture by fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between cities. Key strategies include creating dedicated cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, improving public spaces to encourage active mobility, and prioritising cycling as a sustainable urban transport mode within integrated urban mobility plans.
One of the participating cities, Greater Manchester, aims to join 800 miles of cycling routes through the Bee Network, led by British Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman. Another city making strides in cycling development is Rome, which has gained European recognition for its cycling measures in response to Covid-19, setting up 150km of cycling routes with transitory lanes intended to become permanent.
Helsinki, working closely with its mentor city, Copenhagen, in drafting its Bicycle Action Plan, has also made significant progress. The city council approved its Bicycle Action Plan 2022-2025, outlining a comprehensive and maintained cycling network.
The Handshake project also incorporates research on innovative solutions such as cargo bike usage and tracking services for better planning, enhancing the overall cycling ecosystem across member cities. Events and workshops organized within networks like CIVINET facilitate the exchange of best practices, fostering inclusive and citizen-centered urban mobility.
The project assists cities in any stage of delivery, from planning and implementation to monitoring, with over sixty measures available. A unique strategy used is 'transition arenas' and 'immersive study tours' for cycling policy discussions and visits to mentoring cities.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected many original proposals. Despite this, cities share their knowledge willingly to help each other, without any hidden agendas. The project's name, 'Handshake', has been affected by Covid-19, symbolising contamination instead of cooperation.
The project aims to accelerate and improve cities' existing cycling agenda without dictating the pace or vision. Achievements highlighted in cities participating in such EU-related cycling initiatives—likely aligned with Handshake’s goals—include the establishment of extensive and safe cycling networks, spatial planning aligned with sustainable mobility, and the promotion of cycling as a preferred mode for short urban trips, contributing to healthier, more accessible, and less congested cities.
These efforts support the European Green Deal’s sustainability goals by reducing emissions and noise pollution while increasing the liveability of cities. For instance, Dublin recently built a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Royal Canal, and Greater Manchester opened the UK's first ever 'CYCLOPS' junction, separating cyclists, pedestrians, and motorized traffic.
In summary, the Handshake project is a significant step towards promoting cycling as a sustainable and accessible mode of transport in European cities. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the project aims to create safer, more accessible, and more attractive cities for cyclists, ultimately contributing to the European Green Deal's sustainability goals.
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- The Handshake project, focusing on sustainable living and education-and-self-development, encourages cities to research innovative solutions like cargo bike usage and tracking services, promoting an inclusive and citizen-centered urban mobility within a healthy lifestyle.
- Beyond cycling development, cities like Dublin, as part of the project, have taken steps towards the European Green Deal's sustainability goals, implementing projects like constructing a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge for improved home-and-garden spaces.
- The Handshake project showcases the importance of personal-growth and learning by fostering collaboration between cities, integrating technology and sustainable-living in their urban mobility plans, and striving for a more accessible, healthier, and less congested lifestyle.
