The nationwide transport political work of the ADFC is based on the Transport Policy Programme, which is the foundation to make more people use the bicycle.

Download: The ADFC Transport Policy Programme
 The ADFC Transport Policy Programme

1. More than just a mode of transport: cycling offers many solutions
We want sustainable cycling promotion – above and beyond transport policy; to bring different approaches and actors together. Cycling mobility provides solutions to countless societal challenges, such as the energy turnaround, climate change and public health. It counteracts physical inactivity and noise pollution, and presents a meaningful alternative at a time when public funding and space are scarce. We are committed to ensuring that promoting cycling is understood to be a task for society as a whole.

2. Improving safety and generating acceptance: the bases of cycling promotion
People are far more inclined to ride their bike when they feel safe. They must find it convenient to travel by bicycle and feel wholly accepted as cyclists, which is why we are committed to promoting cycling as a “system within a system".

3. Facilitating the switch: motivating people to cycle
We want to bring about a change in behaviour and to encourage the general population to cycle. To successfully promote cycling, we need emotional, professional campaigns and the development of an independent cycling culture.

4. Enhancing the quality of life with cycling: liveable cities and villages
Liveable cities
The optimal conditions for cycling exist in compact cities with a mixed settlement structure and favourable living conditions. At the same time, increasing cycling; share in the modal split is a key condition for an attractive, liveable city. We want cities to be built in such a way that they facilitate all types of bicycle transport.

Liveable villages
Cycling play a decisive role in the development of rural areas. We therefore wish to reinforce cycling as an independent mode of transport, and believe it can provide an indispensable link between public transport routes. Moreover, we strive for the comprehensive integration of bicycle tourism into everday bicycle traffic.

5. A complementary combination: linking modes of transport
Bicycles have enormous potential as a mode of transport and can make a substantial contribution to replacing cars as the primary mode of transport for the majority of Germans. This is particularly the case when they are combined with other modes of transport, such as buses and trains, taxis or car sharing. A functioning overall system can thus be established. We call upon the federal, state and municipal governments to integrate travel by bicycle into the public transport network as extensively as possible.

6. Cycling for everyone: infrastructure
We strive to enable rapid, safe and convenient travel by bicycle. Bicycle-friendly infrastructure meeting the needs of all bicycle traffic and catering to all bicycle types is required to this end.

7. Well protected when cycling: traffic safety
We consider objective safety, a high degree of subjective safety and as few accidents as possible to be crucial conditions to facilitate cycling for everyone. Our goal is road traffic with no fatalities. To reduce the dangers, we call for moderate speed limits for car traffic and a traffic culture of mutual respect.

8. Financing and legal framework
We ask that sufficient financial means and personnel be allocated to successfully promote cycling. We advocate equality for all modes of transport and strive to establish this on all levels. We call for radical restructuring of the financial, legal and administrative structures to this end.

9. Keeping up to speed: evaluations and research
To date, German research on cycling and its integration into the transport system has not been sufficiently developed, and a great deal of catching up now needs to be done. We therefore call for an increase in cycling research in Germany. Within this, we consider the evaluation of measures and monitoring of cycling according to uniform standards to be particularly