The Autonomy and Urban Mobility Summit held recently in Paris saw CEOs, city mayors, public decision makers, mobility experts, researchers and innovators spend three days debating a variety of mobility-related issues.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) was present with UCI Advocacy and Mass Participation Events Manager Isabella Burczak. She talks about the UCI’s role in urban mobility.
IB: The bicycle, as a green, healthy and socially positive form of transport, holds much potential in meeting transportation needs. Indeed, it has a 200-year track record of proven success in this regard.
While our main business may be the governance of professional cycling, an extremely important part of our mission is to develop cycling in all forms around the world. One of the UCI’s objectives - as highlighted in President David Lappartient’s Agenda 2022 - is to promote the development of cycling as a form of mobility. It is therefore essential that the UCI adds its voice to the dialogue on the future of transport.
During the Autonomy and Urban Mobility Summit, we co-hosted a roundtable entitled “Shared Road for Smarter Cities” with the Fédération Internationale Automobile (FIA). The objective of the panel exchange was to share examples of initiatives led in partnership with cities to ensure more sustainable and inclusive growth, while also demonstrating how elite sport can act as a catalyst to promote more sustainable modes of transport and urban development.
We also moderated a second panel discussion on Innovating Active Mobility, where speakers shared perspectives on the importance and evolution of active mobility within the overall urban transport sphere.
IB: We award the UCI Bike City and Region label once a year during the UCI Road World Championships in September. Today ten cities and regions have the label. To receive the label, cities and regions must be investing in both elite cycling and the everyday use of bicycles, working hard to develop and grow cycling in all forms.
The long-term vision is to develop a network of Bike Cities and Regions around the world that can share best practice and provide better, safer places for all people on bikes.
IB: Cycling in all its forms can be an essential tool in the realisation of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, and we are therefore developing relationships with several UN agencies and NGOs to strengthen this link. On a political level, we are reaching out to engage decision makers around the world to support the development and growth of cycling.
As part of our cycling for all strategy, we cooperate and collaborate with cycling advocacy bodies throughout the world and work with our National Federations worldwide to support their advocacy and development programmes.
Elite sport and competition can galvanise enthusiasm and spark a lifetime passion for cycling. We acknowledge the special role we have in this regard and are working to use elite cycling competitions to promote cycling in all forms.
IB: Cycling is a fundamentally safe way to move about, but we can always do more to increase road safety and ensure that cycling is perceived as a safe activity. This will come about through dealing with a variety of issues such as infrastructure, new technologies, urban planning and the behaviour of all road users.
One key concern is guaranteeing space for active mobility in new infrastructure projects and urban planning and as cities grow.
IB: More and more people are living in cities, creating new pressures on road and public transport networks. Cities across the world are also trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. When you consider that many trips in cities are only a couple of kilometres, cycling - fast, green and healthy - is undeniably an optimum solution to urban mobility needs.
We also know that cycling - for whatever reason - improves people’s mental health and happiness. The growth of cycling, and development of bike-friendly cities can only result in greener, more dynamic and happier places for people to live and work in.