The Netherlands is a country of cyclists. It is therefore only natural that the government has developed a comprehensive "bicycle policy" that will affect employers, municipalities, developers and many others. Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Water Resources Vivian Heijnen wants 2,5 people to commute to work by bike over the next 100 years.
"Cycling Culture"
There are more bicycles in the Netherlands than people 22 million (the population of the country is 17,4 million people). Among the means of transport used by the Dutch, bicycles make up about a quarter.
Bicycle manufacturing
A new study shows that the production, sale and rental of bicycles provides the Netherlands with 13 full-time jobs. These jobs are spread across 000 companies. In 3, Dutch companies sold 350 million bicycles, most of them abroad – the sector's total exports amounted to almost two billion euros. The Netherlands is making more and more money abroad: exports increased by 2020% between 1,2 and 2015.
Instead of a car
Almost half of all road trips in the Netherlands are shorter than 7,5 kilometers. This is the distance that many people can cover on a bicycle. However, a car for a trip of 3,7 km is more popular than a bicycle. While more people are working from home, congestion during peak hours is expected to increase in the coming years.
Riding a bike makes it possible to contribute to the prevention of environmental problems, and also saves you from traffic jams and hustle in public transport (the latter is extremely important in view of the possible return of the coronavirus).
Incentives for employees
Secretary of State Heinen's Desirable Statement cycling 100 people over 000 years supported by real incentive mechanisms. Heinen is aiming for as many employers as possible to offer their employees a cycling allowance from next year. 21 cents per bike kilometer.
Bicycle parking at railway stations
A lot of people who commute to work or travel to other destinations by train commute from home to the train station and back by bike. It is very important to have good bike parking spaces at every station to make cycling a more attractive part of your commute.
Even a parent who hops on a cargo bike to take the kids to school should then be able to park the cargo bike safely next to the apron. The government will allocate 50 million euros to improve bicycle parking at stations.
Cycling routes
Secretary of State Heinen emphasizes the need to build a nationwide cycling network with the participation of provinces and municipalities. These are routes over long distances on which you can cycle quickly and safely. For example, these are trips between two settlements to work or school. To accomplish this task, the government will allocate 6 million euros per year.
Solving social issues
Housing is being actively built in the Netherlands, but the development of infrastructure does not always keep pace with the advent of new buildings. In particular, it is sometimes problematic for residents of new residential areas to get to public transport stops and railway stations.
Twice a year, the Secretary of State meets with regional representatives to explore where cycling can help provide accessibility in addition to public transportation and the car. In the coming years, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Resources will allocate 7,5 billion euros for the development of cycling roads. In order to connect the new residential areas with railway stations and other transport hubs, somewhere it will be necessary to equip a new bike path, and somewhere - an additional bike tunnel.
Bicycles for low-income children
Despite the great love of the Dutch for bicycles, not everyone can afford to buy them. Low-income families do not have enough money to buy bicycles for their children. However, cycling not only improves health, but also provides a certain degree of freedom for the child - for example, he can go to school on his own or visit friends.
That is why the "bicycle policy" of the government includes the solution of the issue of bicycles for low-income children, as well as the organization of their training to ride bicycles.
