EU cycling infrastructure expands yearly, needing safe, connected networks despite political resistance and car culture.
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The network of subsidized EuroVelo long-distance cycle paths currently spans 60,000 kilometers and connects most European countries, while across EU states there are over 900,000 kilometers of various cycling routes. The development of cycling infrastructure is expanding annually across the EU, largely funded by European grants from ecological transformation funds, transport budget chapters, and regional development programs, covering planning, paving, cycle markings, and new segregated paths. While generally well-received, conflicts arise when advocates demand truly safe infrastructure suitable for daily commuting in large cities, leading to clashes with opponents of reducing car access, a phenomenon noted as not unique to the Czech Republic but linked to an autocentric culture where cars often secure votes, while cycling is viewed recreationally. Countries like the Netherlands and Denmark are cited as models for systematically connected urban cycle networks, including segregated paths, alongside recent examples from Paris, Seville, Valencia, Barcelona, Helsinki, Hamburg, and Munich. In the Czech Republic, Ostrava was noted for its “Copenhagen route,” with prior development occurring in areas like Upper Silesia and Central Moravia. Cycling advocates stress that achieving real urban cycling growth requires increasing cyclist safety and creating a functional network connected to schools and shops, noting that physically separated cycle paths are significantly safer than riding on main roads, though their construction often necessitates road narrowing or loss of parking, requiring political courage.
