International bicycle industry moving to support bicycle advocacy in a big way

The bicycling industry across the world and across the U.S. is starting to take a much stronger role in promoting bicycle advocacy and the integration of bicycling into transportation planning.

At the recent National Bike Summit, several industry heavyweights told of their newfound support for bicycle advocacy and why it makes business sense for the industry.

Trek President John Burke recently gave a speech outlining the reasons the bicycle business needs to support bicycle advocacy. As Burke says, "The bicycling industry spends many millions on developing new products and on marketing. But the bicycle industry's greatest opportunity for growth is to create a bicycle-friendly world."

The international bicycle industry is moving in the same direction. According to Bike Europe:

Things are moving in the bike industry on cycling advocacy. If all plans are realized and if all top managers from the industry agree with the planned strategy, then the Global Alliance for EcoMobility will be founded. This alliance in which the international bike sector can play a big role, is to partner with organizations like the United Nations or the World Health Organization. But that's not all that s happening right now on cycling advocacy.

With the start of the Velo City Conference next week in Munich, also the European associations for the bike sector: COLIBI/COLIPED and ETRA announced their Position Papers on a European policy for urban transport.

The association for European bike and parts makers, COLIBI and COLIPED, presented to European Transport Commissioner Barrot a Position Paper in which the necessity to fully integrate the bicycle in European transport and other policies is emphasised. One of the recommendations made by COLIBI/COLIPED is to appoint a European Bicycle Officer.

By appointing such an Officer, the EC would confirm to policy makers on all levels, civil society and the public at large their true believe in the potential of the bicycle as a sustainable, proper and individual means of transport, claims COLIBI/COLIPED.

The European association for Two-Wheeler Retailers (ETRA) believes that: Cycling needs to be fully integrated in the urban transport policy. The EU should become the motor that drives the member states to develop and implement a national cycling plan. For all those purposes, we believe it is of paramount importance to set up, at European level, a cycling office that monitors EU policies and drives and assists member states.

The associations for the European bike industry COLIBI/COLIPED and ETRA are invited to join the first strategy meeting of the Global Alliance for EcoMobility as well as the CEO s of Cycleurope, Accell Group, Giant, Trek and Shimano. This meeting is to take place at the Velo City Conference on Thursday June 14, 2007.