Description
Description (EN): Cycling has become more and more popular in recent years. However, conditions for cycling in the Danube region differ a lot. Some countries already have significant share of its population cycling, whereas in other countries the importance of cycling for transport, health, environment and/or the economy is barely recognized so far. Cycling is often treated as a side topic – in transport policies as well as for most official professional education where future planners, etc. don’t get sufficient training on cycling. Cycling infrastructure development especially at national and transnational level lacks coordinated planning, funding and implementation.
The project Danube Cycle Plans addresses these challenges by setting actions to strengthen the three main pillars of cycling promotion: (1) Facilitate the development of cycling policies at national and transnational level supported by National Cycling Plans based on a common transnational Danube Cycling Strategy; (2) Support the provision of adequate cycling infrastructure by defining the Danube Cycle Route Network, developing common standards and deriving an investment plan to upgrade current conditions; (3) Increase the awareness of relevant stakeholders for the needs of cyclists and increase their capacity to promote cycling in the whole Danube region by implementing a mentoring system, inspiration events and national cycling conferences.
At the end of the project, relevant stakeholders will have more capacity and find improved framework conditions to promote cycling as an integral part of an environmentally-friendly transport system which contributes to the EUSDR aim to improve inter-modality and the DTP aim to support environmentally-friendly and safe transport systems. The project is embedded in THE PEP Partnership on Cycling (UNECE/WHO) who´s masterplan gives valuable input for the project and vice versa, the project´s outputs will backflow to the pan-European level.
Read more Achievements (EN): THE CASE OF CYCLING: A SPOTLIGHT ON THE ROMANIAN PARTNER IN THE DANUBE CYCLE PLANS PROJECT:
The Danube Cycle Plans (DCP) project, a transnational initiative aimed at advancing cycling infrastructure, has witnessed remarkable success in its mission to create better conditions for cycling across multiple countries. Among the key contributors to this collective effort, the Romanian partners stand out for their outstanding achievement in establishing a National Cycle Coordination Center. Functioning under the Ministry of Development, Public Works, and Administration, this center plays a pivotal role in establishing a comprehensive cycling network in Romania, including the development and promotion of EuroVelo routes. In this interview, we asked Alina Niculescu and Cristina Lixandroiu from the National Institute for Research and Development in Tourism, to gain valuable insights into how their work contributed to making this vision a reality.
1. HOW HAVE THE PROJECT RESULTS BEEN USED?
All the deliverables obtained by us in this project have already been handed to the interested parties and decision-makers, so they can start developing the specific, necessary and appropriate infrastructure for cycling and cycling tourism in Romania. For example, for the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration in Romania, the DCP project results were a considerable and very useful source of information, studies and researches, which they are currently using in order to develop the cycling infrastructure. At the same time, the Ministry used our deliverables in order to develop the "Study of the territorial distribution of cycling routes at the national level". Within this study an approximate 25 thousand kilometers of regional and local cycling routes were identified, which will complete the national routes identified by the DCP project. They have also successfully developed the first national eVelo platform and a smartphone app, named "Velo Romania.", where people can find information about cycle tourism in our country.
2. WAS THE PROJECT'S IMPACT ON POLICY MAKING AS EXPECTED?
Thanks to the Romanian project partners in the Danube Cycle Plans project, the cycling community achieved a monumental milestone with the successful approval of the Government Decision in March 2022. This groundbreaking decision, focused on the creation, marking, and homologation of cycling tourism routes, now completes Romania's national legal framework for establishing a comprehensive cycling tourism network. Central to this success were two key players, the National Institute for Research and Development in Tourism and Bike in Time—an external expert in the field of cycling and tourism. Their knowledge, and competencies together with the results obtained within the DCP project proved to be the driving force behind the achievement.
3. HAVE THE PROJECT RESULTS INFLUENCED POLICY DECISIONS OR LED TO ANY CHANGES IN THE FIELD?
For example, our National Cycling Working Groups meetings increased the cooperation between the main stakeholders dealing with cycling at regional and national level - stakeholders who have already organized several regional and local working groups, in which they discuss the cycling issues in our country. In these working groups they use the information and deliverables provided by us, because in all the previously mentioned DCP events we made some clarifications related to the bicycle infrastructure standards, some clarifications on how to develop investments in bicycle infrastructure (depending on user and the implementation area), and we also presented them with some good practices and ideas for starting the investments in cycling infrastructure.
4. WAS THERE ANY RESISTANCE OR CHALLENGES IN INCORPORATING THE PROJECT RESULTS INTO THEIR WORK?
Fortunately, we did not encounter such obstacles. Our stakeholders appreciated the involvement of Romania in the DCP project and they considered it beneficial and a necessary project at national level. That’s why our deliverables were so well received.
5. HOW CAN FUTURE PROJECTS BETTER SUPPORT USE OF THE RESULTS TO DRIVE POSITIVE CHANGE?
In our opinion it would be a good idea for future projects to concentrate on local and regional applications, enabling a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of the current bicycle route development in Romania, which lacks such analyses. In that way, the appropriate steps can then be decided regarding the implementation of the velo routes at local and regional level.
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Website: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/
Expected Results (EN): Intensity of cooperation of key actors in the programme area in order to strengthen environmentally-friendly, safe and balanced transport systems (survey based composite indicator)
Expected Outputs (EN): The project main objective is to contribute to the promotion of cycling as an integral part of an environmentally-friendly transport system. Improved framework conditions and increased cooperation are part of the most important precondition for the successful promotion of cycling. Implementing all activities proposed in the project will lead to the PROJECT´S MAIN RESULT of improved framework conditions for cycling in the Danube region. This will be achieved by providing strategies, instruments (DCS, NCPs, DCRN, NCRNs, etc.) and formats (Inspiration events and national cycling conferences) resulting in an increased intensity of cooperation between all key actors dealing with cycling at local, regional, national and transnational level. As cycling is one of the most environmentally-friendly transport modes, the project´s main result directly contributes to the programme´s result indicator of intensified cooperation of key actors in the programme area to strengthen environmentally-friendly, safe and balances transport system.
The project contributes to the programme result indicator with the following instruments for future cooperation: 1 Danube Cycling Strategy with 5 new and 4 updated NCPs and 1 common Danube Cycle Route Network (including 1 investment plan and 1 pilot application of extended CBA as justification for funding) based on 9 National Cycle Route Networks. These instruments will provide the strategic framework for concerted action and cooperation between sectors and administrative levels.
Activities to increase the intensity of cooperation between all key actors dealing with cycling at local, regional, national and transnational level result in 9 established NCWGs (1 in each country), 10 mentoring sessions (2 for each of the 5 mentee countries), 5 new national cycling conferences, at least 9 Danube Cycling Ambassadors and 2-3 inspiration events. Together, they will raise awareness and strengthen capacity of the key actors to promote cycling.
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Thematic information
Specific Objective:
Support environmentally-friendly and safe transport systems and balanced accessibility of urban and rural areas (short title). Improve planning, coordination and practical solutions for an environmentally-friendly, low-carbon and safer transport network and services in the programme area contributing to a balanced accessibility of urban and rural areas
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Thematic Objective:
(07) promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures by:
Investment Priority:
(07c) developing and improving environmentally-friendly (including low-noise) and low-carbon transport systems, including inland waterways and maritime transport, ports, multimodal links and airport infrastructure, in order to promote sustainable regional and local mobility
Partners (9)
Lead Partner:
Umweltbundesamt GmbH
Department:
Mobility & Noise
Address:
Spittelauer Laende 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.umweltbundesamt.at
Total budget:
EUR 407 592.50
ERDF budget:
EUR 346 453.62
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Partnerství pro městskou mobilitu, z.s.
-
Name:
Partnerství pro městskou mobilitu, z.s.
Address:
Chomoutov 388, 783 35 Horka Nad Moravou, Czech Republic
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.cyklomesta.cz
Total budget:
EUR 230 307.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 195 760.95
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Ministrstvo za infrastrukturo
-
Name:
Ministrstvo za infrastrukturo
Department:
Sustainable Mobility and Transport Policy Sector
Address:
Langusova 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.gov.si
Total budget:
EUR 181 315.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 154 117.75
-
KTI Közlekedéstudományi Intézet Nonprofit Kft.
-
Name:
KTI Közlekedéstudományi Intézet Nonprofit Kft.
Department:
Centre for Transport Development
Address:
Than Károly utca 3-5, 1119 Budapest, Hungary
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.kti.hu
Total budget:
EUR 167 953.75
ERDF budget:
EUR 142 760.69
-
Dunavski centar za kompetenciju (DCC)
-
Name:
Dunavski centar za kompetenciju (DCC)
Address:
Cika Ljubina 8/1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Legal status:
private
Website:
http://www.danubecc.org
Total budget:
EUR 163 011.25
IPA2 budget:
EUR 138 559.56
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Българска асоциация за алтернативен туризъм
-
Name:
Българска асоциация за алтернативен туризъм
Address:
20V Aleksandar Stamboliiski blvd, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Legal status:
private
Website:
http://www.baatbg.org
Total budget:
EUR 153 760.75
ERDF budget:
EUR 130 696.64
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Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture
-
Name:
Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture
Department:
Directorate of road and rail infrastructure
Head of service for planning and strategic projects
Address:
Prisavlje 14, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.gov.mmpi.hr
Total budget:
EUR 145 455.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 123 636.75
-
Ministerstvo dopravy a výstavby Slovenskej republiky
-
Name:
Ministerstvo dopravy a výstavby Slovenskej republiky
Department:
Insitute for Transport Policy
Address:
Námestie Slobody 6, 810 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.mindop.sk
Total budget:
EUR 122 365.50
ERDF budget:
EUR 104 010.68
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Institutul Național de Cercetare Dezvoltare in Turism Bucuresti
-
Name:
Institutul Național de Cercetare Dezvoltare in Turism Bucuresti
Address:
Apolodor str. 17, 050741 Bucharest, Romania
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.incdt.ro
Total budget:
EUR 111 000.00
ERDF budget:
EUR 94 350.00
