Twelve Cities and Municipalities Granted a Total of 3.5 Million Euros for the Promotion of Walking and Cycling 

Recipients of funding from the investment programme for walking and cycling have been selected. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom allocated 3.5 million euros in grants to a total of 12 projects. The selected projects aim to make walking and cycling a more convenient and attractive option as well as improve safety. 

The grants seek to achieve a 30 per cent increase in the amount of travel undertaken on foot and by bicycle by 2030. The funding is allocated in the framework of the programme for the promotion of walking and cycling published in 2018 by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

"We will halve emissions from transport by 2030. Walking and cycling play a central role as we work towards achieving our climate goals, especially with regard to travel over short distances. We are now allocating a total of 3.5 million euros to support 12 municipal projects, with a significant increase to the funding of the investment programme planned for this year", said Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.  
  
Traficom grants the municipalities government aid for the promotion of walking and cycling. The aid funding aims to improve the conditions for walking and cycling in the urban street network.  
  
Traficom received a total of 53 applications, of which 12 projects were selected. This marked the second time a call for applications was organised in the framework of the investment programme. The 2020 call is planned for launch in early summer. 
  
"I welcome the increasing focus on walking and cycling. We want to see the walking and cycling conditions improved in all cities and municipalities in a way that takes into account the particular needs of each. Traficom intends to support measures taken to reach this goal", said Jarkko Saarimäki, Deputy Director-General at Traficom. 

A diverse range of projects from around the country 

This year, the projects presented by Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kangasala, Kempele, Kuopio, Lappeenranta, Liminka, Mikkeli, Oulu, Sipoo, Tampere and Vihti most closely corresponded to the criteria set for the call. The projects are set to be implemented by the end of 2021 at the latest. 
 
The selected projects share the goal of providing more convenient options for travel on foot and by bicycle while improving safety, with some also aiming to offer better park-and-ride facilities for bicycles. 
 
Selection criteria also took into account that a high-quality environment for pedestrians and cyclists must be accessible, safe and pleasant. The plans presented by the selected projects to improve routes include constructing regional cycling roads and city-centre bike paths as well as designating separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists.  
 
Projects looking to develop bicycle parking plan to e.g. introduce stands that allow cyclists to lock the frame of their bikes, create parking services and improve parking facilities for schoolchildren and public transport users. 

Enquiries: 

Ministry of Transport and Communications: 
Päivi Antikainen, Director of Unit, tel +358 50 382 7101, paivi.antikainen(at)lvm.fi, Twitter @PaiviAntikainen
Tuire Valkonen, Senior Specialist, tel +358 50 570 8334, tuire.valkonen(at)lvm.fi, Twitter @ValkonenTuire 
  
Traficom: 
Nina Frösen, Team Leader, tel. +358 29 534 5279, nina.frosen(at)traficom.fi