Cycling is fast on its way to become a mainstream tool for cities to conquer back their centers and to increase the quality of life in their cities. The image of cycling is growing, but on the streets there is still limited activity. SPICYCLES realises that the minor role the bicycle still plays in the overall transport systems is due to reasons of both technical and political nature. To solve the problem, there is a need for an articulated strategy that tackles the issue from different but equally important perspectives.

Cities need support in making it happen: the increase of the modal share of cycling in their cities. Spicycles will create this support and will make it to available to them in an attractive format. SPICYCLES will demonstrate that the modal share of cycling can be increased in European cities with different geographic, climate and cultural conditions. The coordination of all such actions will provide at the end for an integrated set of measures that can make the difference in the long term.

The coordination of all such actions will provide at the end for an integrated set of measures that can make the difference in the long term. SPICYCLES has the ambition to support, facilitate and stimulate the activities of the 6 participating cities (Barcelona, Berlin, Bucharest, Göteborg, Ploiesti, Rome) according to a simple and widely participated work plan.

Starting from a benchmarking (WP2) on the state of the art of the cycling systems, 4 types of actions will be carried out and tested at the local level:

• WP3 Bike-sharing, a challenging and innovative measure seeking to transfer the better known principles of car-sharing to bicycles. This WP will be led by Berlin (DB Rent).
• WP4 Communication and Awareness Raising, led by Göteborg, will address the efforts to inform travellers and make them aware of the benefits of alternative clean travel options and particularly cycling;
• WP5 Planning for Cycling will tackle the issue of encouraging cycling from a different angle, that of integrating cycling planning in the broader framework of spatial and transport planning and accordingly providing adequate infrastructure for deployment. This workpackage will be led by Rome (Dipartimento X);
• WP6 Building Local Partnerships will work towards involving local actors in the cycling plans of the municipal authorities. It will be led by Barcelona.  
  

The evaluation workpackage (WP7) will analyse and report the project results, highlighting similarities and differences among cities (cross-comparison), barriers and success, drawing conclusions on their transferability. This WP will be led by the University of Rome (DITS). The experiences with different types of measures and the results obtained will be disseminated to a wide audience of European cities (WP8-WP9).

The following flow chart provides a visual illustration of the structure of the proposed action.

Fig. 2 1  SPICYCLES structure

In the intentions of the 6 cities, SPICYCLES will have direct and marked beneficial impacts especially on: i) cycling modal share,  ii) energy consumption, iii) emissions, iv) attitudinal change, v) local stakeholders involvement, vi) integration of cycling into broader transport/spatial planning.