news has asked the audience what they wonder about elections and politics. We have received several hundred questions. Here we answer one of them: – I miss the kind of vision they had for electric cars, just for electric bikes and cycling in general. That’s what Thomas Litherland (36) says, lives at Heimdal in Trondheim. Every day he cycles to his teaching job at Klæbu, which is a mile away. He started that last year. – Now I just have to cycle, since the municipality has arranged for it to such a large extent. Now they have tipped me over. Because he does not think that there has been no investment in bicycles. He also does not believe that it is stupid to have advantages for electric cars. – The best thing would have been to stimulate both equally. He believes that the advantages for electric cars and bicycles must keep pace with each other, in order to tip more people from cars or buses to bicycles. Thomas Litherland believes that there is no need to remove support for electric cars, but that support for electric bicycles and bicycles must continue. Photo: Trond Odin Myhre Johansen / news Several reasons – There are many Norwegian cities that have cycling strategies and plan for more cycling, says SINTEF researcher Hampus Karlsson. He has researched cycling and mobility in the cities and says that the answer to Litherland’s question is complex. Hampus Karlsson is a researcher at SINTEF. He has researched cyclists and pedestrians, as well as transport in cities. Photo: SINTEF Hanging on to the cycling cities He says that he compares himself to cycling cities such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam here in Norway. – It took 60 years before you got to where you are today. Norwegian cities and cities in the rest of the world have not worked with it for as long. It is then natural that they have not come as far. In order to facilitate bicycles in the city centre, the city center must also be changed. – When making arrangements for cyclists in the city centre, it is also important to take care of other functions, such as goods delivery, in order to achieve a solution that works in practice. In Norway, you compare yourself to cycling cities a little further south, such as Amsterdam. Photo: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW / Reuters Many swear by the car – The car is a large part of the city centre. You want to reduce emissions by getting people to switch from fossil to electric. He says that the road between car and bicycle is longer. More are car users and the car market is larger than the bicycle market. – It is paradoxical that it is not VAT-free when in most Norwegian cities you have urban growth agreements where you want fewer cars in the city centre. Cycle traffic is emission-free – The purpose of the VAT exemption on electric cars was to reduce the proportion of petrol and diesel cars, and to provide an incentive to buy electric cars. That’s what Jørn Arve Flått, deputy leader of the Trondheim Labor Party, says. He says that the same issue does not apply to bicycles, because all bicycle traffic is emission-free. Previously, tolls could only be used on the stretch of road around the barrier. Now the municipalities are freer to prioritize the development of other transport solutions, says Jørn Arve Flått in the Labor Party. Photo: Bjarte Johannesen / news – We believe it is more important to prioritize safe cycle paths, so that more people choose to cycle. He points out that the government has given the municipalities the opportunity to invest more in public transport and cycle paths through the urban growth agreement. He says that car, bicycle, walking and public transport are part of the solution. For example, the Labor Party will halve the price of monthly bus tickets in Trondheim and Trøndelag. – It is an important goal for us that there will not be more cars on the roads than today. What do the different parties mean? news has sent questions to all Storting parties, in addition to a number of other parties. Here you will find extracts from their answers. Henrik Pettersen Sunde, communications advisor in HøyreHøyre is betting on cycling and believes the most important tools are: Good urban growth agreements Reward schemes That you build out pedestrian and cycle paths when infrastructure is built. Believes VAT exemption should be limited to very few cases where it has a major effect. A trip with an electric car will almost always replace a trip with a fossil car, thereby cutting emissions. A VAT exemption for electric bicycles will not have the same effect. I think you should invest in both car, public transport and bicycle. Good public transport services are a prerequisite for people to put their cars away. Fewer cars on the roads are good for business and people who need to use a car. Vanja Stenslie Krakk, political advisor in the Center Party’s parliamentary group Adopted national and local objectives to increase the proportion of journeys by bicycle .One of the most important things is about making it safe and easy to use the bicycle. Bicycles, both electric bicycles and ordinary bicycles, are subject to VAT like other goods. VAT exemption on electric cars came about because they wanted a forceful move to get more people to choose electric cars. Interaction is needed between public transport, cycling, walking and cars. It is important that there is room for those who need a car in the cities. If you stimulate increased use of other forms of transport free up capacity on the roads (easier access parking, increased frequency of buses and trains, cheaper monthly passes and good cycle routes) Lars Haltbrekken, parliamentary representative for Trøndelag SVNorge is an extremely car-obsessed society. People invest in motorways, while railways, bicycles and other investments come in second row. The focus has been the electrification of petrol cars, rather than the reduction of car traffic. In Oslo, support schemes have been introduced for the purchase of electric bicycles. It is something more municipalities should look at. Collective, bicycle and walking are the solution for transport in the cities. The car takes up too much space with the need for large roads and car parks. Some people will also need a car in the city. You get more available space if the rest of the transport goes to public transport and cycling. SV will build more cycleways. Kristin Elisabeth Myrvang Gjørvik, group secretary in MDG’s parliamentary group Last August, subsidies were announced for buying electric bicycles, which in practice means they become VAT-free. Will make service and repair of bicycles VAT-free. The most important thing is to develop more cycle paths, more bicycle parking and make it safer to cycle (reprioritize money from motorways to bicycles) An area-efficient, climate and environmentally friendly, and health-promoting means of transport be the most important means of transportation. Wants a national monthly card for NOK 499. Believes that the whole between public transport, car and bicycle, but also walking, helps to solve logistics in the cities. The streets should first of all be designed for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists, second public transport, and then a reduced amount of car traffic. We experience the local environment, nature and the city best when we do not need a vehicle. Geir Jørgensen, Storting politician and spokesperson for transport policy in RødtWhere there is investment in good infrastructure for bicycles, more people cycle. The counties have tight budgets and enormous maintenance backlog on normal roads. If more people cycle, there will be more space on the roads for those who have to drive. A possible solution is a government plan for cycleway development with its own budget. More rail-based public transport with high capacity is the key. Not only in Oslo and Bergen, but also e.g. in Trondheim, Stavanger and Skien/Porsgrunn. One of the biggest challenges going forward is that electric cars are on the way to becoming an excuse for not investing in public transport. Electric cars remove greenhouse gas emissions, but they do not remove traffic jams. André N. Skjelstad, parliamentary representative and transport policy spokesperson for VenstreVenstre, prioritizes cycling highly, both locally and in the cities. The car has a high status in Norway which is related to weather and climate, but also perceived safety and convenience. Persistent poor provision has made the bicycle less attractive. Fortunately, the focus on bicycles has increased in recent years, and there is some development in this area in several cities. The weather is not a good excuse. We have good examples of cities in the far north in both Sweden and Finland that have a bicycle share of around 20 per cent. The Liberals have taken the floor that electric bicycles should be exempt from VAT. Provision must be made for pedestrians, cyclists and those who take public transport. This leads to more space on the roads for those who need to use a car. In addition to transport, good urban and spatial planning is absolutely essential if we are to have green and vibrant cities. Ole Faldahl, county leader in Trøndelag INPMSee where it makes sense to invest on e.g. cycle paths etc. I don’t agree that there should be a VAT exemption on electric cars and electric bikes. I have use for both car, bike and public transport because we have different needs. We just have to make it work in a sensible way, plan well and think a bit ahead .Olaug Bollestad, Krf’s transport policy spokesperson, believes that cycling should have been given a higher priority in many places. KrF will strengthen the state reward scheme for cycleways, and set as a basis a goal that 20 per cent of passenger journeys in the cities should be made by bicycle. Transport growth in the future must take place through increased use of bicycles, walking and public transport. Avoid car-based housing developments that are not close to public transport hubs. Residential areas must be built so that as large a proportion of the residents’ journeys as possible can be made on foot, by bicycle or by public transport. Ellen Loxley, Partiet SentrumWants better access for environmentally friendly means of transport to the center of Trondheim. More and better cycle paths, safer cycle parking and the continuation of cycle-friendly measures such as support for studded tires for winter cycling. In Trondheim, cycle versus car has been a hotly debated debate. More measures are needed to increase the proportion of bicycles to and from the city centre. Cyclists contribute to better turnover for shops and cafes in the centre. In order to reach the target of zero growth in traffic, it is crucial that the proportion of bicycles increases. Want to improve public transport, reduce ticket prices for public transport, better pedestrian and cycle path to and from the city centre, safer bicycle parking in several places, as well as the continuation of the studded tire tax. Hanne Haskel, general secretary of the People’s Party Car taxes in general are too high. Do not wish to distribute any special driving force on means of transportation. We want to treat everyone equally. Charges should be lower, not just for electricity. There will be more focus on public transport, but people should be able to choose whether it suits them best to drive a car, public transport or cycle. This is Thomas Litherland’s “car” and is his preferred means of transport whether he is going to work or a trip into the city centre. Photo: Trond Odin Myhre Johansen / news
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Why is cycling a low priority for politicians? – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
