Purchasing power, environment, health… the benefits of walking and cycling praised by associations

A sacred union to promote the benefits of walking and cycling and remove obstacles to the development of these active modes. Several associations, the UFC-Que Choisir, Rue de l’Avenir, the Club of cycleable and “walkable” cities and territories as well as the Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB) “unite to call on public authorities to the need to invest, beyond public transport, in infrastructure adapted to active modes”they indicate (new window) this Friday by making public a study (new window).

In a context of inflation and energy poverty, these associations remind us, “promote walking and the bicycle as an alternative to the car represents an essential lever for improving purchasing power, reducing CO2 emissions and strengthening public health.they summarize. “At a time of climate change and expensive energy, mobilization must be general to offer new travel opportunities to consumers and make them less captive to the individual vehicle”underlines in the report Marie-Amandine Stévenin, president of UFC-Que Choisir.

A significant budget for households

Household transport expenses represented on average 14.5% of their budget in 2022, the associations point out in their study, a share that has been stable for around ten years. According to the latest INSEE Family Budget survey, unveiled in 2017, this is the first consumption expenditure for wealthy households and the third largest consumption expenditure for low-income households.

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This budget weighs heavily, especially for low-income households. On average, a car costs almost 3000 euros per year. However, almost 41% of car journeys have a distance of less than 5 kilometers and almost 62% less than 10 kilometers, note the associations. The use of walking or cycling to cover these distances would therefore make it possible to achieve “real savings, even much greater if daily journeys by car over longer distances can be made by public transport”.

Often unsuitable infrastructure

The UFC-Que Choisir and other associations also advocate for the development of secure pedestrian and cycling facilities. “Walking and cycling struggle to establish themselves due to often unsuitable infrastructure”regret the authors of this study. Narrow, poorly maintained or cluttered sidewalks, discontinuous and poorly secured cycle paths… these “obstacles discourage the practice of active mobility”they estimate. According to a field survey carried out by UFC-Que Choisir volunteers, 70% of the walking routes tested presented at least one layout anomaly over an average distance of only 1.2 km. These difficulties are “particularly increased in rural and peri-urban areas”notes the consumer association.

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The associations also intend “implement the national cycling and walking plan ‘2023-2027’ (new window) and strengthen the section relating to walking”. “The budget of the bicycle plan of 560 million euros weighs little, particularly in comparison with the billions of euros devoted each year to car parking and no plan specifically dedicated to walking exists”they regret.

In 2023, the government of Elisabeth Borne had however promised that the State would invest two billion euros in this plan comprising three areas of action: “train in cycling from a very young age”, “cycling as an alternative to other transport” et “develop an economic and industrial bicycle sector”.