The Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation (FIAB) has announced the creation of a National EuroVelo Coordination Center (NECC) in Italy, aimed at promoting strategic and shared management of the 5000 km of itineraries of the European cycle network that cross the country. Among the first regions to join the project are Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Autonomous Province of Bolzano And Calabria which entered the EuroVelo network with the Ciclovia dei Parchi.
FIAB, which has been working since 2011 to improve the quality and capillarity of cycling infrastructure in Italy, aims to transform from National Coordinator of EuroVelo to National Coordination Centre. This change will make it possible to harmonize the development of the Italian cycle network, actively involving local administrations and other public and private entities.
The Cycle Route of the Calabrian Parks in EuroVelo 7
An important milestone was reached in recent days with the inclusion of Parks cycle path in Calabria in the network EuroVelo 7also known as the Ciclovia del Sole, a cycle path that crosses Europe and connects the North Cape to Malta. This recognition underlines the importance of the Calabria Region in the context of European cycle routesfurther strengthening Italy’s attractiveness as a cycling tourism destination.
The EuroVelo network in Italy
EuroVelothe transnational network of cycle routes created in 1997 by will of theEuropean Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), includes 17 itineraries which cross various European countries for a total of 90 thousand km. In Italy, four of these routes cover approximately 5 thousand km, including the EV5-Via Romea Francigenathe EV7-Ciclovia del Solethe EV8-Mediterranean Cycle Route And a section of the EV9-Baltic-Adriatic.
The growing interest in EuroVelo is evident: last year the website recorded over 2.5 million visitors, an increase of 30% compared to the previous year. Italy is the third most clicked country, after France and Germanywith an increase of 79% compared to 2022. These data confirm the constant growth of cycle tourism and the role of Italy as a pole of attraction.
Jessica Casagrandecoordinator of the EuroVelo project for ECF, underlined the importance of complete the development of the EuroVelo itineraries in Italycurrently only 26% safe to travel on, and of invest in the quality of routes and services. This ambitious objective can only be achieved through active cooperation between the bodies and sectors involved.
Italian cycle route system
Riccardo Capecchi, representative of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, confirmed the coherence of the Italian cycle route system with that of EuroVelo. The development project of 20 great cycle routes in Italy, included in the 2022 Cycling Mobility General Plan, provides several dedicated funding lines. To quickly complete the first part of the paths, a cooperative mechanism between Regions and Local Administrations is necessary.
In the end, FIAB proposed to ECF the recognition in the EuroVelo network of the itinerary from Monaco to Santa Maria di Leuca (EV21)which includes the Venice-Monaco connection and the entire Adriatica Cycle Route.
