Billions of EU Funding for Bicycle Road Construction10 April 2009
A further 300 kilometres of bicycle roads may now be constructed from funding made available within the framework of the calls that have just been announced.
The opportunity to construct 300-kilometres of brand new bicycle roads around the country has now been made possible in the upcoming period through the calls for applications that have just been announced within the framework of the regional programmes of the New Hungary Development Plan. Local governments, local government associations, as well as central budgetary organisations and institutions under their management intending to construct bicycle roads will this time round be able to apply for EU funding amounting to a total of 11.7 billion HUF in the 7 regions.
The development of bicycle roads was already prioritised during the 2004–2006-period within the framework of the National Development Plan; EU funding amounting to 2.42 billion HUF was allocated for this purpose at the time. Cyclists were thrilled about the total of 80-kilometres of bicycle roads constructed at 11 points around the country as an outcome of these developments. It is now possible to ride around Lake Tisza thanks to the successful implementation of these EU applications; a bicycle road network is now available in the Upper Tisza region and a bicycle road has been constructed between Csongrád and Szentes, along the Tisza flood protection embankment, as well as in Szentendre and along the Danube flood protection embankment.
We will be able to spend nearly 26 billion HUF on the construction of new bicycle roads around the country over the 2007–2013 period within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan. EU funding amounting to a total of 10 billion HUF was allocated from this 7-year framework in 2007 and 2008 among the 80 applications approved funding, through which the country’s bicycle road network was extended by a total of 300-kilometres.
This network may now be extended by a further 300-kilometres. The 11.7 billion HUF EU funding tender framework required for this has just been announced within the framework of the regional programmes. Consequently, applications may be submitted for the construction and development of bicycle roads running through settlements adjacent to state and local government roads or the stretches of local government and 4 and 5-digit roads outside the municipal boundaries, procurement of traffic safety equipment and signs required for bicycle traffic, as well as setting up bicycle racks. Depending on the calls announced in specific regions, the rate of funding available for local governments, local government associations, as well as central budgetary organisations and the institutions under their management may range from 30 to 300 million HUF.