Erding is now bike-friendly

Erding has done his homework when it comes to bike-friendly communities.

At least that's how the evaluation committee sees it, which has now awarded the city the seal after review.

Freising, Dorfen and Nuremberg have something in common that Erding has now also achieved.

They all belong to the bicycle-friendly municipalities in Bavaria.

The large district town achieved this status on Thursday.

In the end, the assessment committee's verdict was positive.

"I am very satisfied and am delighted with the decision," said Christian Famira-Parcsetich, Head of Urban Development. He also led the bike tour that preceded the decision. "Since the first trip in 2017, we have received a list of homework that we have gradually worked through. But we must not stop now, because the promotion of cycling is designed for the long term, ”he emphasized.

A few years ago, Erding applied to the AGFK - the working group of bicycle-friendly municipalities. Before the admission could even take place, the so-called main trip was due. During the several-hour bike tour, the commission checked whether the city had done its homework in promoting cycling. Some guests were there in Erding, including Birgit Zehetmaier from the State Ministry, Robert Burschik (ADFC Bayern), 3rd Mayor Harry Seeholzer and representatives from the police, city administration and AGFK. They drove to individual stations in wind and rain.

It also became clear that the improvement process has not yet ended, be it with the signposts for cyclists, the directional signs on cycle paths or the bicycle parking facilities, for example at the Erding train station. According to Famira-Parcsetich, these points will be extremely important in the future and must be tackled, because: "The current certification will expire in seven years, then recertification is due."

The group also stopped at the air base. The closure of the S-Bahn ring was a big issue there. "I would very much like it if cycling would also be taken into account when developing the infrastructure at this location," said Commissioner Burschik in an appeal to the city. Intermediate stops were also made at Sigwolfstrasse at the level of the Aral petrol station and the hardware store, in the new development area of ​​the southern Thermengarten and at Rennweg at the level of the mini roundabout to look at structural measures to improve cycling.

Back at the town hall, the examination board withdrew to deliberate. The evaluation focused primarily on the four pillars of cycling: information, communication, infrastructure and service. The city obviously knew how to convince, so that Burschik was able to announce the good news quickly and also justified: "Since Erdinger's application to the AGFK, a lot has happened not only structurally, but also organizationally." There were plus points for the numerous red cycle lanes , for example on Dorfener, Freisinger or Alte Römerstrasse. The new cycle network and around 70 new cycle signs were also seen positively. The bicycle streets (for example Franz-Xaver-Stahl-Strasse), which are supposed to make the promotion of bicycle traffic in the city visible, are also a sign of good work,which Erding does here.

The award as a bicycle-friendly municipality will also take place in an official act: on January 27th in Munich.

SEBASTIAN VOICHTLEITNER