Government grants promote cycling tourism and active travel to school

Communication from the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, has awarded government grants to two national projects. One promotes active, sustainable and safe travel to school. The other project focuses on promoting cycling tourism and will establish a coordination centre for cycling tourism in Finland. 

In December 2019 Parliament's Finance Committee decided to support the promotion of cycling tourism and school travel through a supplementary budget of EUR 400,000. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, has now awarded EUR 300,000 of this grant to two national projects. A further EUR 100,000 to promote cycling tourism will be awarded later.

Both of the projects receiving assistance support the objectives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications' national programme for promoting walking and cycling. 

"Cycling has been a feature of the Corona Spring in many cities around the world, and I expect cycling tourism to grow in Finland. There are opportunities for cycling tourism both in the countryside and in cities, which is why it is good that the Cycling Tourism Centre will have a coordinating role," says Timo Harakka, Minister of Transport and Communications.

"Promoting walking and cycling involves close cooperation between different actors and for our part we strive to support this at Traficom. In both of these state-aided projects, school travel and cycling tourism are promoted extensively with various stakeholders, municipalities and organisations at both the national and local level," says Jarno Ilme, Network Director.  

The Smart to School project combines national coordination and local measures

The Smart to School project is part of a broader Smart to School programme. The main objective is to promote active, sustainable and safe travel to school through national coordination and local measures. 

The present government grant will be used to develop school routes and yards for the pilot schools in order to ensure that the routes are safe and to encourage pedestrians. In addition, the aim is to support networking and cooperation, promote school travel together in different administrative branches, and share the best tips for school travel in municipalities.

The Network of Finnish Cycling Municipalities is responsible for the project. The project will be launched in spring 2020 and continue until spring 2021. The project has been awarded a government grant of EUR 100,000. 

The Cycling Tourism Centre will promote cycle tourism and Finland as a cycling tourism country

The other project receiving funding will promote cycling tourism. Work will begin with the establishment of the Cycling Tourism Centre and the coordination of a cycling tourism in Finland project. 

The aim is to strengthen the Finnish cycling tourism sector, increase the popularity of cycling tourism and raise awareness abroad of Finland as a cycling tourism destination. The Cycling Tourism Centre promotes cycling in all its forms from day trips and touring trips to mountain biking and cycling treks in nature. The Cycling Tourism Centre is also the Finnish coordinator of the international EuroVelo route network. 

The project is the responsibility of the Finnish Cyclists' Federation and the Network of Finnish Cycling Municipalities. The project will be implemented during 2020 and 2021. The project has been awarded a government grant of EUR 200,000.  

A further EUR 100,000 will be allocated to the promotion of cycling tourism. The intention is that this grant will be used to signpost EuroVelo routes and other national cycling tourism routes. 

Enquiries:

Ministry of Transport and Communications:

Tuire Valkonen, Senior Adviser, tel. + 358 29 534 2047, tuire.valkonen(at)lvm.fi, Twitter @ ValkonenTuire

Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom:

Virpi Ansio, Senior Inspector, tel. + 358 29 534 6826, virpi.ansio(at)traficom.fi

Head Of Mobility Services Team Nina Frösen, tel. + 358 29 534 5279, nina.frosen(at)traficom.fi