Cycling advocacy consists of activities that call for, promote or enable increased adoption and support for cycling and improved safety and convenience for cyclists, usually within urbanized areas or semi-urban regions. Issues of concern typically include policy, administrative and legal changes (the consideration of cycling in all governance); advocating and establishing better cycling infrastructure (including road and junction design and the creation, maintenance of bike lanes and separate bike paths,
and bike parking); public education regarding the health,
transportational and environmental benefits of cycling for both
individuals and communities, cycling and motoring skills; and increasing
public and political support for bicycling.
There are many organisations worldwide whose primary mission is to advocate these goals. Most are non-profit organisations supported by donations, membership dues, and volunteers.
There are many organisations worldwide whose primary mission is to advocate these goals. Most are non-profit organisations supported by donations, membership dues, and volunteers.
Cycling advocacy around the world
Internationally
In 2018 the United Nations General Assembly designated 3 June as World Bicycle Day, after it had been proposed by World Cycling Alliance.
Europe
Bicycle embassies
In Europe, Bicycle embassies have been set up to communicate established bodies of knowledge concerning cycling infrastructure, bicycle promotion and cycling advocacy techniques to other national, state and municipal governments.
Established bicycle embassies include, the Dutch Cycling Embassy, the Cycling Embassy of Denmark and the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain.
Copenhagenization
Rush hour cycle traffic in Copenhagen
Copenhagenize advocacy poster
Copenhagenization is a design strategy in which urban planning and design are centered on making a city more accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians, and less car dependent.
The term was popularised by Danish urban design consultant Jan Gehl, who has been instrumental in the promotion and implementation of the policy in Copenhagen.
For more than 40 years, Mr. Gehl has systematically studied public spaces to see how they really work, using Strøget and Copenhagen as a laboratory for his research. He has advised cities around the world, including Melbourne, London and New York, on how to improve the quality of urban life -- in his words, how to "Copenhagenize" their cities.
Independently of Gehl, Danish urban design consultant Mikael Colville-Andersen coined and popularized the phrase the term in this meaning to a broader audience, starting in 2007 with the Copenhagenize.com blog,
that highlights how the bicycle can be an important tool in the
creation of liveable cities. The term has since spread to Britain, to
Europe, and elsewhere internationally. The Copenhagenize.com blog has inspired the creation of other blogs with the same focus for cities such as Amsterdam, Portland, Lisbon, Hamburg and Munich.
Ireland
In Ireland the direct action group, I BIKE Dublin advocates for improved conditions for cycling in Dublin through direct action campaigns.
North America
In North America the term Bicycle Ambassador
arose to describe cycling advocates tasked with promoting bicycling in a
community. Such advocates can be employed by the national, provincial
or city government and their tasks include networking extensively with other municipal offices whose activities effect cycling.
Early Bicycle Ambassador programs began in Toronto in the late 1990s. Other cities picked it up over the following decade, Chicago being the largest. Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington, Arlington, Virginia also have programs. Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.
and New York City began programs most recently. Some programs are
entirely youth focused, while others become a de facto part of the city Department of Transportation or other government agency.
Latin America
The World Bike Forum was organized in 2012 after the Critical Mass events in Porto Alegre in which an automobile driver deliberately collided with and injured around 20 cyclists.
During the Forum bicycle-based urban mobility is discussed and
strategies to spread the use of bicycles in the hosting city are
promoted.
The Forum has taken place in the Southern Brazil cities of Porto Alegre (2012 and 2013), Curitiba (2014), as well as Medellín, Colombia (2015) and Mexico City in 2017.
List of cycling advocacy groups and individuals
Among the world's best known cycling advocates are:
Major cycle advocacy groups include:
- European Cyclists' Federation, ECF, where most of the European national cyclists' federations and many worldwide are member
- Cycling Embassy of Denmark
- London Cycling Campaign, based in London (12,000 memberships, 2015)
- Bicycle Network, located in Australia and one of the largest cycling membership organisations in the world (45,000 members, 2015).
