Walking and Cycling in Finland Forum to be organised on 11 May 2021 – towards better roads

The National Walking and Cycling Forum will be organised virtually on 11 May 2021. The Forum, organised by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom and Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency supports the objectives of the National Programme for the Promotion of Walking and Cycling. The aim is to increase walking and cycling by 30 per cent by 2030 compared to 2016.

“We want to improve the circumstances for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the country, which also helps us achieve our climate goals. Walking and measures for cycling traffic are strongly represented in the National Transport System Plan and Roadmap for Fossil-Free Transport,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

Finland is committed to halving its traffic emissions by 2030. According to the Government Programme, traffic will become more sustainable by impacting people’s choice of transport. Promoting walking and cycling has a positive impact on both the environment and health.

“It has been wonderful to see the strong desire of our municipalities to promote walking and cycling with high-quality infrastructure initiatives. The investment programme currently has approximately 60 initiatives and, in 2020, 51 initiatives around Finland received funding. The future is also looking good — the next application period will start already before the summer holidays,” says Deputy Director-General Jarno Ilme from Traficom’s Sustainable and Clean Environment Network.

Successes for walking and cycling

The discussion forum is meant for representatives from cities, municipalities, associations, businesses and public administration who implement the National Programme for the Promotion of Walking and Cycling as well as everyone interested in promoting walking and cycling. Minister Timo Harakka will open the event. The event will include a review of the planning instructions for cycling and walking as well as the investment programme for the development of walking and cycling. The reasons for and consequences of an active lifestyle will be presented by the implementers of the Style study from the University of Turku’s Finland Futures Research Centre.

The panel will share best practices and discuss how the prerequisites of walking and cycling can be improved. The panel will include Mayor of Kangasala Oskari Auvinen, Director of Public Utility Services Jukka Talvi from the City of Vaasa, Head of Planning Riikka Pajuoja from the City of Rauma, Project Manager Anna Huttunen from the City of Lahti, Chair of Tahko-Pihkala association, liikuntaneuvos (Finnish honorary title) Tuomo Jantunen and Chair of Jyväskylä Cyclists JYPS Teemu Tenhunen.