The municipality of Unterföhring is now a member of the “Working Group for Cycle-Friendly Municipalities in Bavaria”. However, further requirements must be met in the coming years in order to receive the actual award.
The municipality of Unterföhring has been accepted as a new member of the “Working Group for Cycle-Friendly Municipalities in Bavaria” (AGFK Bayern). This is a welcome consequence of a so-called pre-trip, i.e. an on-site visit in Unterföhring, which an evaluation commission undertook on July 26th as part of the admissions process. The commission, made up of representatives from AGFK Bayern, the General German Bicycle Club and the State Ministry for Housing, Construction and Transport, found that the municipality met the requirements for admission to the association, the town hall announced. According to the verdict, the efforts to promote cycling in the municipality are visible and serious.
As a result, the board of AGFK Bayern agreed to membership of the municipality of Unterföhring, the start of which has been backdated to August 1 of that year. The certificate of admission will be presented to the community in January 2023 at a ceremony. Unterföhring has to meet further requirements within the next four years in order to be recognized as a “bicycle-friendly municipality”. Among other things, a basic decision to promote cycling is needed in the municipal council. In addition, a cycling concept for the municipality that has been coordinated with the district must be drawn up, which forms the basis for further cycling promotion measures. Then, as determined by the evaluation commission, the signage in the town needs to be checked. There should be a plan for the winter clearing service that prioritizes main bicycle routes and reliably clears snow even earlier than before.
If the main inspection of the municipality by the evaluation commission in 2026 shows that the requirements have been met, Unterföhring will be awarded the “bicycle-friendly municipality” award by the Ministry of Transport. The award is then valid for seven years and must then be refreshed. A major goal of the AGFK is to establish the bike as a welcome and natural means of transport – whether in the city, in the village or in the surrounding area. This requires cross-community concepts and cooperation. Another important point: In order to persuade as many people as possible to switch to environmentally friendly local mobility, the bicycle must also be perceived as a safe means of transport.