Revised TEN-T objectives and priorities for the first time include cycling and active mobility
Last week, the European Parliament voted to adopt the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) guidelines. For the first time, the promotion of active modes of transport, particularly cycling, has been enshrined within the objectives and priorities of the TEN-T network.
TEN-T is the EU’s primary network of roads, railways, inland waterways, ports, maritime shipping routes, airports and multimodal terminals. With the revision of the regulation, the EU aims to align TEN-T with the objective of cutting transport emissions by 90% compared to 1990 and increase connectivity across Europe. For many years, however, cycling, a key part of the equation for reducing transport emissions, had not been considered relevant for the network. This often resulted in the negative impact of TEN-T projects on active modes, with a new ring road or an upgraded rail line creating a barrier for walking and cycling.
“I am incredibly proud of our team’s advocacy work in bringing about this significant milestone in the revision of the TEN-T regulation. For the past five years, ECF has worked on integrating cycling into the guidelines for developing TEN-T through collecting data, making the economic case, and providing recommendations on the practical integration of cycling.” said Jill Warren, CEO of ECF.
