East bicycle trail - Green Velo and a system of recommendations for Cycle Friendly Places
About this good practice
The Green Velo Eastern Bicycle Route, which is almost 2000 km long, is the longest and consistently marked bicycle route in Poland. It crosses the area of five voivodships lying in the eastern part of the country, including the Podlaskie Voivodship (602 km). About 300 kilometres of the route consists of new and reconstructed bicycle roads and pedestrian-cycling paths, and almost 150 kilometres of renovated dirt roads. More than 30 bridges and footbridges were built or renovated, and more than 20 key intersections were rebuilt. 228 MORs, i.e. Bicycle Service Points, equipped with stands, shelters, benches, waste baskets and information boards have been built along the route.
A system of Bicycle Friendly Places (BFP) was also created under the project. The main objective of the system is to develop the quality of cycling tourist services along Green Velo Route, thanks to establishment of lasting cooperation with entities offering accommodation and catering services, as well as administrators of tourist attractions and other facilities providing services dedicated to cyclists. The entity responsible for the system in the Podlaskie Voivodeship is the Marshal's Office of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. This pioneer solution on the scale of Poland is aimed at the creation of a uniform system of cycling tourists service.
Currently, 899 entities are included in the BFP recommendation system (including 231 in Podlaskie Voivodeship).
Resources needed
The total value of the project was ca. EUR 68,000,000 in 5 voivodships.
The value of the project in Podlaskie Voivodeship was about EUR 15,000,000 - including: EUR 12,600,000 ERDF funding, EUR 1,600,000 State budget funding, EUR 800,000 Podlaskie Voivodeship's own budget.
Evidence of success
As a result of the project, cyclists in the Podlaskie Voivodship have at their disposal a cycle route of a total length of ca. 602 km, including 128 km of route using the cycling paths and pedestrian cycling routes built or renovated within the framework of the project. Along the route, cyclists can use 72 Bicycle Service Points (BSP) marked with the BSP sign. The project was carried out together with many partners, including for example 28 municipalities and 9 counties.
Potential for learning or transfer
Cooperation of five voivodeships leading to a common goal.
Construction of 228 Cycle Service Points along the route, equipped with shelters, benches, bicycle racks, information boards and waste bins, some of them with portable toilets and water tanks.
Creation of a system of Bicycle Friendly Places, associating accommodation facilities, restaurants, tourist attractions, tourist information centres and other facilities offering services dedicated to cyclists.
Location of the route directly at numerous tourist attractions or within a 20 km "passageway" on both sides of the route.
Uniform signposting along the whole length of the route.
Adjusting the route to a diverse group of users - it can be done as a whole or in any fragment.
Creation of a mobile application Green Velo Route containing all necessary information, routes and objects, which will be useful during the trip.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Marshal Office of Podlaskie Voivodeship