(cont. from § 10) Bicycle issues (cont. TU12)

Inga-Lill Sjöblom (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for speaking warmly and favorably about our large cycling competitions, for example Vättern runt, Oskar Svärd! On Friday, however, we had an interpellation debate in the chamber with Andreas Carlson about small cycling races, and I would very much like to hear what you will do to engage more so that it becomes better for the small cycling races. It is indeed the small races that are suffering. Regarding the economic aspect you speak of, that what exceeds 150,000 shall be paid, one has only made a solution that applies for the year 2024.

How will you help us get Andreas Carlson and your government parties to understand that we must have a permanent solution, Oskar Svärd?

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Oskar Svärd (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the question. I believe that one should view this from two perspectives, where one is the short-term perspective and the other is the long-term perspective.

Regarding the short-term perspective, as I previously raised from the rostrum, the Moderate-led government last week made a decision that Trafikverket may waive requesting compensation from voluntary associations and organizations for marathon races, competition races, and other arrangements on state roads. Through that effort, new opportunities are now opened to organize activities such as bicycle races like Vätternrundan or others.

It is the effort that the government has decided on for 2024, and as for what applies moving forward, we will have to return to that. I do know, however, that not least Andreas Carlson has worked very hard to get this solution in place, and I find it difficult to see that anyone will be left in the lurch later either.

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Inga-Lill Sjöblom (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for the answer, but 43 races have already been cancelled this year. I therefore hope that you will commit to 2025 so that we can truly get this permanently so that people know what the rules are, Oskar Svärd. It is about the small and large clubs knowing what the rules are for 2025.

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Oskar Svärd (M)

Madam Speaker! Absolutely, and this is an issue that we are following, like many others. We are following the development that is occurring, and there is a dialogue with the cycling race organizers. I know that we, in different ways and on a broad front, want to ensure that both large and small issues are resolved, and this is an important issue for very many people in our country.

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Linus Lakso (MP)

Madam Speaker! I thank Oskar Svärd for the speech. I think it was a pleasing and positive opening when Oskar Svärd spoke warmly in favor of cycling.

The only concrete thing mentioned afterwards was, however, this regarding costs for motion races and some traffic safety. The member mentioned many advantages, such as the environment, health and so on - for example space efficiency - and I wonder if there are more measures that the government intends to implement to further increase cycling in Sweden. I am a bit curious about that, because since the member speaks so positively about cycling, I thought that there might be a lot in the pipeline here. That is actually my question initially.

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Oskar Svärd (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for the question. I mentioned several examples of how cycling is good for society. I thought the member would come up to the rostrum and ask me why I am talking about the car in a bicycle debate, but we continue on the bicycle track.

There are several measures that we from the Moderaterna have wanted to see for several years. Then we will have to see if it becomes a reality now or if it will come in the future, but something we have followed up on in recent years is, for example, that cyclists should be able to make right turns at red lights and cycle against a one-way street. Another example is that one could color-code cycle lanes so that they become clearer and in that way strengthen traffic safety. There are, therefore, a number of measures that could be implemented.

Another example, which other countries are working with and which we have discussed internally in our party, is that as a driver, one should maintain a certain distance when overtaking on a country road. There are also other concrete parts to strengthen traffic safety. When they arrive and if they arrive, we will have to return to that, but these are some parts that we drive as a party.

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Linus Lakso (MP)

Madam Speaker! I thank you very much for the answer. I must therefore hope that there will be many investments and also budget investments. As I know for a fact, the only thing that has happened so far is that the urban environment agreements have been removed and a travel-means-neutral travel deduction has been stopped, which is negative for cycling.

That is why I think that one needs to sharpen up and come forward with sharp proposals from the government's side - at least if the Moderaterna mean it seriously that they want to promote cycling based on the positive added values that Oskar Svärd mentioned. I therefore thank you for the answer and hope that more proposals will come forward in the future.

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Oskar Svärd (M)

Madam Speaker! I thank the member for what I take as a follow-up comment since no questions were asked.

The government inherited a large maintenance debt regarding bicycle paths, roads, and the railway – all those parts. We will now continue to implement things that are good for both the bicycle and the car and all types of traffic. In a situation that Sweden finds itself in purely economically, where we have had high inflation and have been very restrained, I believe it is a matter of doing the right things at the right time and in the right way. The government has a broad agenda for what we want to implement to get Sweden back on the right track, and we will implement it. Exactly which parts will come and when they will come, we will have to return to, but the work has only just begun.

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Inga-Lill Sjöblom (S)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Transport's report 2023/24:TU12 Cycling Issues.

I grew up in a cycling city, namely Uppsala. Uppsala does not only consist of residents who live inside the city, but we are actually Sweden's largest rural municipality with over 50,000 inhabitants living outside the city. Approximately 245,000 people live in Uppsala. It concerns a countryside that is crying out for cycle paths along the national roads. However, it moves slowly, largely depending on the fact that there is no land. Quite rightly, it might be that a railway runs across the land, or it could also be people who are appealing. It therefore moves slowly.

For me, this is an important issue as I myself live by such a road. Had the cycle path, which today only goes to a place called Vänge, been extended all the way to Vittinge, many would cycle to work and to friends. Children could even cycle to school and to friends. One could take a bike ride to the lake and swim, and I could park my car. In fact, even I, as a car user, would then purchase an electric bike. I hope that I will get to experience that.

In the preamble, we can read that the latest bicycle survey from Trafikverket shows that 936,000 people aged 6-84 years cycled on an average day in 2021, which corresponds to approximately 10 percent of the population.

We must transition to sustainable travel. We do it for our children and grandchildren. We do it for the future. We do it for the climate. The bicycle has a role to play in sustainable travel.

In Sweden, approximately 30 percent of the number of car journeys are shorter than three kilometers, and half are shorter than five kilometers. If one replaced all car journeys under two kilometers with cycling or walking, emissions would decrease significantly. The bicycle is the future.

Cycling is a very environmentally and climate-smart mode of transport. Not least in large cities, the bicycle has great potential to relieve both public transport and the roads. The space in the streetscapes in our larger cities needs to be relieved. We cannot increase our car dependency, because the cars cannot fit in our larger cities. We need to relieve the roads, and more must choose the bicycle.

In order for cycling to be able to increase and develop, both safety and capacity need to increase. In 2022, 26 cyclists died in traffic. Cyclists constitute the largest group of seriously injured in road traffic if one disregards fall accidents among those who are walking.

Above all in the metropolitan regions, it is important that municipal planning is based on a regional perspective in order to facilitate bicycle commuting between the neighboring municipalities. In that context, there is also a need to regulate the use and control of electric scooters. But the importance of good planning to facilitate bicycle commuting and the regulation of electric scooters is great in all municipalities.

The municipalities have a great responsibility to transition. The municipalities need to plan for sustainable travel. But we also have a national responsibility to support the municipalities in their planning. Good planning to facilitate bicycle commuting is important in all municipalities, not just the large ones.

A national goal for increased cycling should therefore be adopted. The Government should consider the investigations that were carried out in the area at the initiative of the then S-led government and decide on a national goal for cycling. Reviewing the possibilities of investigating a transport-neutral travel deduction, as well as tax deductions for business trips by bicycle, should also be on the agenda.

Even the global climate goals presuppose that many of us take the bicycle. The bicycle feels more modern than ever as the world transitions for the future. One could speak of a bicycle key for the climate.

Some parties in the Swedish Riksdag may not consider the climate issue to be particularly important. But even if one completely ignores the climate, one can perhaps see that public health is improved by leaving the car at home sometimes. The public health effects of increased cycling are significant. If we can replace more trips with cycling, we can also feel better as individuals. Public health is, of course, affected by how much we move. Pedaling a bicycle is good for the heart, brain, muscles, and motivation. The person who cycles 15 minutes to work on a regular workday engages in 30 minutes of exercise but hardly thinks about it.

We Social Democrats would like to summarize by emphasizing that increased and safe cycling can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of travel and congestion in urban areas, as well as contribute to better public health. Increased cycling provides great advantages for society and the individual. The bicycle belongs to the proud history, the present, and the future. We politicians have a responsibility to do what we can so that it is easy to choose the bicycle when it is possible.

Of course we stand behind all our motions, but for the sake of time I move for approval of only reservation 1.

(Applause)

In this speech, Carina Ödebrink (S) agreed.

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Magnus Oscarsson (KD)

Madam Speaker! I vote in favor of the committee's proposal.

That the bicycle fulfills a very important social function is really no exaggeration. On average, 1 million people cycle every day in Sweden. That is about 11 percent of the population.

As a resident of Östergötland, I cannot miss mentioning the largest individual cycling race we have in Sweden, namely Vätternrundan. Every year, approximately 23,000 cyclists gather to cycle the 315-kilometer route. There are also other options to cycle this week in June, such as Halvvättern and Tjejvättern. In total, approximately 60,000 people participate.

In Sweden, we have a large and important tradition of being able to use state roads for various motion activities. But unfortunately, it has been a very great concern that Trafikverket has changed the regulatory framework for arrangements on state roads. It has hit sports clubs and other non-profit organizations hard. The regulatory framework means that the organizers must bear all costs linked to measures according to the road sign ordinance, for example, signage, along state roads. These large costs for the associations have unfortunately led to many being forced to cancel their annual races or activities.

Madam Speaker! It is important to facilitate for non-profit associations and organizations by ensuring that they shall be able to have arrangements on state roads without these extra costs. Therefore, the government proposes in the year-end budget that 8 million kronor be allocated to Trafikverket for this purpose. The government also intends to return regarding the long-term management of the issue.

Madam Speaker! Cycle tourism is important for our country. It is a strongly growing reason for travel for both national and international tourists. In connection with their cycling holiday, people would like to experience the Swedish countryside and nature, Swedish traditions and good food and drink.

Cycling is a physical activity that makes a very important contribution to increased public health, as we have heard several previous speakers say. However, when more people cycle, the number of deceased and injured cyclists will increase if we do not take targeted and effective traffic safety measures. With that starting point, the work for the zero vision, that no one should die or be seriously injured in traffic, becomes a central challenge in the work for increased and safe cycling.

Cyclists constitute the largest group of seriously injured in road traffic if one disregards fall accidents among those who are walking. Approximately 80 percent of the cyclists who are seriously injured and 30 percent of those who die do so in a single-vehicle accident. It is very serious, and it must become safer for cyclists in traffic.

Madam Speaker! Cycling improves public health. If more people were to choose walking or cycling, the positive health effects would increase, and that is incredibly important. In the 70s, over 90 percent of children walked or cycled to school. In the mid-90s, it was 77 percent. Today, in a time when children and young people are becoming increasingly sedentary, it is down to 57 percent. According to the Pep report 2023, only two out of ten young people state that they have, in the last week, followed the recommendation to be active for at least 60 minutes every day.

This is serious. It is very important to lower the threshold for everyday movement. All movement counts and is positive for people's health. That there are safe and secure cycle paths, especially for children, is a priority issue. Here, the country's municipalities and the state have a large and important responsibility. It is pleasing that the government in the budget invests in improving and increasing traffic safety for children and young people through, among other things, the construction of new walking and cycling paths.

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Patrik Jönsson (SD)

Madam Speaker! I would first like to say that we stand behind all of our reservations, but in order to save time, I move for approval only of reservation 11, which, among other things, concerns a harmonization of the regulations for bicycle passages and bicycle crossings.

Madam Speaker! According to a survey from the Theft Protection Association that has been published in Sveriges Radio, half of all respondents state that they have stopped cycling after a bicycle theft. It is a staggering figure.

In 2023, 57,765 bicycle thefts were reported in the country. This is admittedly a decrease of 8 percent since 2022, but it corresponds to all inhabitants in a city as large as Hässleholm having their bicycles stolen, old as young. Even though the crime is seen as one of the less serious crimes, I believe that it is of the utmost importance to curb these thefts.

I have personally had two bicycles stolen, and in fact, I stopped cycling after the second theft. Besides causing feelings of unease at the time of the crime, it leaves its mark significantly longer than that. For my part, even though many years have passed, I feel a great sense of unease about leaving my bicycle at, for example, the station or other places where one can assume the risk of theft is high.

Police resources are scarce, but if we are to make people feel safe taking their bikes to the bus or the train, more resources should be allocated to guarded bicycle parking, preferably in the form of garages where, for example, BankID or the like is required to be able to unlock them.

According to Svensk Försäkring, approximately one quarter of a billion is paid out every year in compensation for stolen bicycles in Sweden. It is a considerable sum. Bicycles are becoming increasingly nicer but also increasingly expensive, and in particular electric bicycles. As an additional measure, we believe that the customs' capabilities and resources must be strengthened to reduce the export from the country of stolen bicycles, and for that part, other stolen goods.

Madam Speaker! It should be safe to cycle, but it should also be safe to own a bicycle. One should be able to park one's bicycle without having it stolen.

Madam Speaker! We have previously touched upon the accident statistics. In 2023, 26 cyclists died, and of these, three were on electric scooters. Every year, approximately 2,000 cyclists are seriously injured. These are injuries that often result in lifelong consequences.

Over the last two decades, the number of seriously injured in traffic has decreased significantly, and that is pleasing. This does not apply to one group, however: the cyclists. It is not the e-scooter riders who stand out. They constitute less than one-tenth of the seriously injured, even though one might think otherwise. It is likely because accidents with e-scooters receive more attention in the media.

It is also not the case that the lion's share of accidents occur between motor vehicles and bicycles. On the contrary, a falling trend is occurring here. That is pleasing. No, eight out of ten bicycle accidents with seriously injured are actually single-vehicle accidents.

A bicycle helmet provides good protection. But we must make the municipalities more aware of the need to review the condition and standard of the cycle paths. It is certainly not a state responsibility in itself, but reducing the number of those killed and seriously injured is a state responsibility. More must be done here to cooperate with the municipalities.

That it is easy to do the right thing in traffic is also something that makes traffic safer. The regulations for bicycle passage and bicycle crossing are a good example of how one can complicate things. Most cyclists and motorists are often completely unaware of the difference between these.

That is why we, from the Sweden Democrats' side, have submitted our reservation, which means that the law is changed so that the same rules apply to both. We believe that it is best that all bicycle crossings are redesigned and become bicycle passages. The motorist is protected, but the cyclist is unprotected. Here, in order to reduce serious accidents, we must introduce requirements that cyclists shall stop and give way to motorists and other vehicles.

Another simplification of rules could be the regulated coloring of cycle paths. Coloring a cycle path can be a good way to attract attention at an intersection. This color should, however, be uniform regardless of which municipality you are in. As a motorist, one should easily be able to recognize it when approaching a cycle path. But I remind again: The large proportion of seriously injured cyclists, eight out of ten, are from single-vehicle accidents. Not everything can be solved with simplifications of rules.

Madam Speaker! It shall be bent in time, that which is crooked. Teaching children to cycle early is positive in many aspects. It promotes mobility, it promotes motor skills, and it promotes health. But the primary responsibility is, of course, the parents', even though society can take a greater responsibility to ensure that children learn to cycle in a traffic-safe manner.

That children learn traffic etiquette at an early age is important to avoid injuries or, in the worst case, death. Learning traffic rules and dangers in traffic is a knowledge one carries with them for life. That society steps in and helps here, we mean would be a cheap traffic safety-promoting intervention.

Reintroducing the old traffic play schools, where children were taught traffic rules and road signs in a lighthearted and playful way, would be a good initiative to help children become safe in traffic. Most of those in here seem to have reached the age where they remember them.

Madam Speaker! Electric scooters have had a major breakthrough, and they are now a common sight in the cityscape. Where I live, in a perfectly ordinary residential area, I see children on electric scooters more often than on a regular bicycle.

Even among bicycles, we have seen an enormous development of electrified vehicles. Today, many bicycles do not look at all like they did ten years ago. They can be wide, they can be long, they can be heavy and they can be tall with large transport capacity. The law has not quite kept up. A meeting with two cargo bikes can make it cramped on the cycle path. A delivery bike can be so heavy that a 250 watts motor is not powerful enough to perform the vehicle's task.

From the Sverigedemokraterna side, we argue that the law on power limitation should be reviewed, in any case for bicycles over a certain weight or with certain functions. Today's regulatory framework has a restrictive effect on the market. One can throttle the speed to the stipulated 25 kilometers per hour that applies to electric bicycles and in that case allow a higher power for these. That should be reviewed.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, in 2021 the House issued a notice to the government that it should return with proposals that make it possible to construct detached cycle paths without requirements for direct connection to roads intended for motor traffic, and with this, an amendment of the Road Act. The Road Act currently requires that there must be a functional connection between cycle paths and public roads. Today's requirement that a cycle path must be in direct connection to a public road, we do not think is reasonable.

We are now in April 2024, but nothing has happened. I have still not seen a single new bill from either the previous government or the current government. It is not reasonable to have to propose yet another announcement on the same issue, as happened regarding Bromma Airport, but now the government must ensure that it drafts a bill on the matter.

Madam Speaker! How difficult can it be? I am just wondering.

In this speech, Rashid Farivar (SD) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Helena Gellerman (L)

Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the Committee on Transport's report on Cycling Issues.

Madam Speaker! It is two years since the pandemic put the focus on the benefits of cycling. More and more people chose to cycle instead of using public transport. The main reason then was that people wanted to maintain physical distance and did not want to touch surfaces. At the same time, health was improved, and congestion in public transport was also reduced. These are two positive effects of more people cycling. That is what we want to emphasize.

The benefits of people cycling, not least the health aspect, mean that the Liberals want to facilitate things for cyclists in various ways. A very important prerequisite for cycling to be smooth is that there are continuous safe routes and that they are maintained continuously. There are far too many ill-conceived traffic environments that make it difficult for cyclists. Here, I am primarily thinking of the complex infrastructure that exists in our cities and larger towns.

We must work to ensure that the cycle path network is connected and, perhaps even more importantly, that the maintenance of the cycle paths is carried out. A hole in the road becomes a small bump for a motorist, but for a cyclist, it can result in a serious accident where they are seriously injured. I personally have several friends who have stopped cycling due to accidents related to the infrastructure. Decisive action is needed here, not least after the last winter, which has created many potholes. However, this is primarily the responsibility of the municipalities.

To facilitate commuting by bicycle, we want to see a coherent planning of the cycle paths at the regional level, where the municipalities cooperate across borders. For the cyclist, the standard of a cycle path should not have to deteriorate at a municipal border. It is not reasonable. We want to see more initiatives for coherent regional cycle routes to make it easier to cycle longer distances.

I also want to raise the need for uniform national signage for cycling. When cycling across municipal and regional boundaries, clear signage is needed to facilitate orientation. The State needs to cooperate with the municipalities so that the signage is implemented, but also looks the same everywhere.

The provisions of the Road Act regarding the construction of cycle paths have been discussed here in the chamber since I entered the Riksdag in 2018 and certainly also before that. Cycle paths that do not have a direct connection to roads for motor vehicles are not designated as roads according to the definition in the Road Act, which, among other things, means that it can be difficult to use land for a cycle path with the help of the Road Act. There are not the same possibilities to claim land as for public roads.

For the Liberals, however, it is of great importance that property rights are taken into account when assessing potential changes to the Road Act to facilitate the construction of cycle paths.

The Liberals also want to increase the possibility of taking the bicycle on the commuter train. By combining public transport and cycling, more people can leave the car behind and thus make a contribution to the environment and reduce congestion on our roads. Here, the electric scooter is very interesting as a vehicle for transporting oneself to and from public transport from a door-to-door perspective. It takes up little space on the train and then takes you smoothly to where you need to go when you have gotten off the train.

Madam Speaker! The Liberals are positive towards electric scooters, which have found a clear niche within mobility. Electric scooters have now existed for a few years, and both the positive and, unfortunately, the negative effects of their arrival have shown themselves. We are beginning to get to grips with the parking problems, while the work of implementing measures for the increasing personal injuries remains. These are injuries that can lead to people losing their lives.

Accessibility for all pedestrians, not least for the elderly and persons with disabilities, is crucial for us. Clarifications of the regulatory framework for electric scooters are needed so that we can minimize the negative effects and can see the electric scooter as a good contribution to mobility.

Madam Speaker! Cyclists are unprotected in the traffic environment. Separate cycle paths exist in many places, but at the same time, cyclists often share the roadway with motorists. Road safety needs to be improved in many places, not least when cyclists are being overtaken.

Sweden has a long tradition as a leading country when it comes to road safety. We should therefore lead the way even when it comes to cycling. The Liberals view positively addressing the cyclists' perceived insecurity on the roads through a speed-dependent distance of at least one and a half meters during overtaking. Such a rule would signal to car drivers that more factors than just the distance affect road safety and that risk compensation is required during overtaking. At the same time, I want to emphasize that it must be easy for car drivers to remember the rule for it to have an effect.

Road safety for cyclists is particularly important for cyclists who participate in cycling races. Cycling races are an important incentive to increase cycling but also to strengthen health. We have removed the fee for organizing cycling races during 2024 to facilitate this year's cycling races, and we are now discussing how we should proceed.

Finally, Madam Speaker: Technology is developing rapidly, and we see a constant evolution of the cycling concept, not least in the form of electric bicycles and electric scooters. The Liberals view this development positively, while at the same time, road safety must be protected. We see an increasing trend in the number of bicycle accidents in recent years. Accidents among those in cars are decreasing, but among those who cycle, the trend is increasing. It is therefore important that research on various aspects of cycling receives increased support so that we can understand how cycling can be facilitated and how we can minimize the number of bicycle accidents in the future as interest in cycling now increases.

The knowledge-enhancing work of research is important so that we can take the right measures in the future and make it more attractive to cycle.

In conclusion, I move for the approval of the committee's proposal in the report and the rejection of all motions.

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Emelie Nyman (C)

Madam Speaker! The bicycle is the key to freedom! So sings the popular musician Danne Stråhed from Skåne, and I can do nothing but agree.

For a greener and healthier future, the bicycle is truly the key and should therefore be valued and treated as a national mode of transport. In this way, Trafikverket can plan for national cycle paths and cycle routes to a greater extent.

On behalf of the Centre Party, I move for approval of reservation 7 under point 3.

I want to begin by highlighting the importance of prioritizing the bicycle as a separate mode of transport in infrastructure planning in relation to others. It is important to evaluate the bicycle's role in transport planning, and therefore the bicycle should also be treated as a national mode of transport. I want to particularly emphasize the importance of Trafikverket planning for national cycle paths and cycle routes to a greater extent. All too often, today's planning is carried out from a motor vehicle perspective, and we request a stronger bicycle perspective.

That is why it is important that during training periods, for example, in both urban planning and the like, great emphasis is placed on mentioning this so that it is included at all levels. I believe that cyclists and pedestrians should be given a safer place in traffic planning. This can, for example, occur through bicycle speed streets and safer intersections or by converting parking spaces along streets at given times into bicycle lanes so that bicycles are differentiated from cars.

It is equally important to review the need for measures, necessary regulatory simplifications, and legislative changes that make it possible to cycle throughout the country. A review is needed.

I can state with pleasure that the interest in the bicycle as a means of transport has increased. I notice this not least in Malmö and in Lund. With good cycle paths, better winter maintenance of the cycle paths and better interchange points between bicycles and collective transport, cycling could increase further. It is something we need to take into account when we plan for the future.

I can also state that the bicycle takes up less space than the car, and it does not generate any emissions. Increased cycling would be good for both the environment and public health, and for reducing congestion in cities. Therefore, I want the accessibility for bicycles to be increased by building more local and regional cycle paths and so-called cycle highways. The work to create a coherent cycle path network in the largest cities needs to be accelerated, while at the same time we need to make the highways cycle-friendly.

Madam Speaker! It is furthermore significant that new roads are built with a clear adaptation to cycling as a starting point. For a sustainable urban development, it is highly essential to be able to transport oneself by bicycle. Both the city and the countryside benefit from a diversity of means of transport. It is important that people have several possibilities to move around, and here Trafikverket, in addition to the municipalities, has a very important task.

With modern electric bicycles, the bicycle has now become a clearer alternative also over longer distances, and therefore the access to cycle paths needs to increase even in the countryside. The municipalities currently have jurisdiction over the construction of pedestrian and cycle paths on municipal land. If, however, one wants to build pedestrian and cycle paths parallel to a state road or railway, this is regulated in the Road Act, and thus Trafikverket becomes the principal for the project.

I believe that the Road Act today is outdated and needs to be reviewed and that cycle paths should be equated with roads for cars. Today, according to the Road Act, Trafikverket is not allowed to construct detached cycle paths where there is no connection with a state public road. I mean that this needs to be changed so that it becomes possible to build detached cycle paths without a connection to an adjoining road for cars. The Road Act practically means that many important infrastructure investments in pedestrian and cycle paths are hindered. Madam Speaker! I believe there are reasons to review the legislation and other regulatory frameworks. In connection with such a review, it is important that the landowner's perspective is clearly included so that cycle paths do not become another measure that legitimizes increased expropriation.

I want to further emphasize that work is needed on several fronts to facilitate accessibility for cyclists. We need to inventory which service roads run parallel to roads and railways that could be classified and used as cycle paths. Appropriately, the government should give such an assignment to Trafikverket.

In order to be able to reach the goals of improving for cycling in the future, it also ultimately requires that the authorities have resources and that they make the right priorities so that the work moves in the right direction.

Mr. Speaker! I can state that the government's management of the agencies is largely carried out through regulatory letters. Therefore, I believe that the regulatory letter to Trafikverket should contain clear instructions to give the work with bicycle traffic higher priority. The direction should be that bicycle traffic, where appropriate, shall be prioritized over car traffic on the roads.

Mr. Speaker! I move again for approval of reservation 7.

(Applause)

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Linus Lakso (MP)

Mr. Speaker! The bicycle is a fantastic means of transport in many ways. Cycling is socio-economically beneficial. It benefits society, the environment, and the person who cycles. In that, we seem to be in agreement in the Riksdag.

Despite this, cycling has decreased for decades, if one disregards larger cities and urban areas. A contributing cause to this trend is that the road network is increasingly less suitable for cycling. Wider vehicles, higher speeds, and minimal shoulders mean that it can both be and be perceived as directly dangerous to cycle in the countryside today. The road space simply does not suffice. Here, even the safety-enhancing measures for the car in the form of side rails and two-plus-one roads, which are of course good in one respect, have compromised it for the unprotected road users. The small space that remains is completely consumed. This hinders cycling in an unfortunate way. I believe that pedestrians and cyclists should have the same opportunity to travel as motor vehicles.

The cycling area in all of Sweden should increase, both for the sake of health and for the environment. For this to be possible, the conditions for cycling must be significantly improved. Cycling is a central piece in the work of establishing a sustainable transport system. Safe, secure and convenient cycling infrastructure must exist.

In our Swedish municipalities, however, a bit of a rebirth is occurring today in the cycling area. Cycle paths are being built, bicycle garages are being completed in central locations, and companies are arranging suitable spaces for showering and changing. Company bikes are becoming more common, and cycling is increasing sharply in many places around the country. It is very positive.

In some places, however, the infrastructure is insufficient. There are often clear goals in the municipalities regarding the proportion of cycling or sustainable transport, but at the national level in Sweden, the bicycle is treated quite poorly. Trafikverket, which has the main responsibility for Sweden's transport, focuses on other things. The possible road network for cycling is shrinking drastically, and the additions are negligible. Transportstyrelsen, which sets the regulations at the agency level, does not want to change the rules in favor of the bicycle. It is constantly half-measures that create problems for the municipalities when they want to give cycling a more central role.

Why then? Yes, there is no national goal when it comes to cycling. There are general objectives regarding increased cycling but no goal. We know that when goals are missing, we lose the momentum within our institutions and authorities. We need concrete national goals for how cycling traffic should increase. Then we might be able to get some momentum in Agency Sweden and its priorities. However, we have no goal today. On the other hand, the Swedish Transport Administration, VTI, on behalf of the government, has developed a proposal for a goal of doubled cycling by 2035. I believe that the Riksdag should establish this.

A goal must, of course, also be followed up with sufficient resources. Countries such as Holland, Ireland and Austria, which are really investing in increased cycling, have allocated approximately 10 percent of their infrastructure budget for cycling, while Sweden stands at a modest 1 percent - something that also does not look set to increase.

Furthermore, this government has decided on active regressions such as removing the urban environment agreements, a support for municipalities to be able to improve, among other things, cycling and other sustainable travel. They are also stopping the proposal for a transport-neutral travel deduction, something that seven parties in this Riksdag stood behind and which had equated cycling and public transport with motorists in terms of the travel deduction.

There are some bright spots in the area. Trafikverket has proposed to allow right turns on red for cyclists and that people should be allowed to cycle against the direction of one-way streets where appropriate. Sweden's Infrastructure Minister also recently, on April 3, signed the European Bicycle Declaration, and there is a lot of positive content for cycling there. I really hope that it is followed up with action.

In the report we are debating today, many important proposals are also addressed. It has been mentioned that the Road Act needs to be changed so that the state and municipalities can build a separate cycle path just as they do for roads for cars. The committee also proposes a referral to the government on this, so I hope that the government responds shortly. Another important proposal is the rule of consideration to make it safer to cycle and get more people to cycle, namely a clearer rule regarding a distance of one and a half meters when overtaking. We would also need to make it safer for our children and young people to cycle and walk to school. Here, we would like to see that school zones are introduced with a speed limit of maximum 30 kilometers per hour and also increased opportunities for the municipalities to ensure that this is complied with.

There are many other good proposals that we naturally consider need to be implemented. To save time, Mr. Speaker, I move however for approval only of reservation 3.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 11 April.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)