VC_Cooperation between NGOs and municipalities
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The Hungarian Cyclists' Club (HCC) works with municipalities to promote cycling in Hungary. [1] They have over 1,000 members organized into local and professional groups. [2] HCC advocates for better cycling infrastructure by organizing workshops with city planners, providing expertise on bike projects, and consulting on bike parking. [3] They have helped develop cycling plans and policies in several Hungarian cities like Budapest and Érd. [4] As a respected advocacy group, HCC's role in promoting cycling infrastructure can serve as a good example for other countries. However, they face dilemmas regarding how seriously their volunteer work and knowledge is taken compared to paid consultants.
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VC_Cooperation between NGOs and municipalities
- 1. Cooperation between NGOs and municipalities Hungarian Cyclists’ Club (HCC) www.kerekparosklub.hu Virág Bencze-Kovács, MSc.
- 2. Content 1. Organisation & Structure 2. Method 3. References, Good Examples 4. Impact of our NGO 5. Dilemma
- 3. 1. Organisation & Structure In the last few year cycling in Budapest became a common phenomena Origenating form the Critical Mass movement Growing number of cyclists in Budapest
- 4. 1. Organisation & Structure In the last few year cycling in Budapest became a common phenomena Origenating form the Critical Mass movement Growing number of cyclists in Budapest
- 5. 1. Organisation & Structure We have a regional and professional network for effective advocacy. Hung.Cyclists’ Club 2006-2010: 1.000+ members Local groups and proffessional teams form a matrix Working teams for • Traffic planning • Communication • Education • Campaigns, events
- 6. 2. Method The idea is: Long-term agreements with municipalities. • Organising Workshops in the City Hall • Makeing formal and informal contact with designers, consultation in the planning of bicycle infrastructure. • Consultating about planting bike parking facilities • Supporting statement and expertise for national/EU funded bike projects • Providing designers, decision makers and stakeholders with posters, leaflets and technical articles
- 7. 2. Method
- 8. 2. Method – Experiences Pros (+): Cons (–): catalysing the process (bringing cooperation on an ad hoc and personal politicians, authorities, urban planners, basis; engineers together); substituting the deficiencies of the not being taken seriously; public sector; protesting and cooperation: since no “control” over decision making, decision makers do not possess the only option is persuasion; knowledge for right decisions, protesting is not enough – NGOs professional expertise combined insufficient resources (especially with volunteer activism and strong financial) to meet the needs of presence at the local level; cooperation in all fields; instead of demands: participation, no access to sufficient data (plans, common work. statistics, other data) for decision- making.
- 9. 3. References, Good Examples • Change of road code (Jan. 2010) • Cycling Design Standard (2008-10) • Bike parking places in Bp. for private sector • Budapest (cooperation in Cycling Concept(2008), working group (2008-10), control of developments, new bikelanes)
- 10. 3. References, Good Examples The role of HCC in Hungary can also be a good example for organizations in other “climber” countries. • Érd (Cycling Concept, consultancy) • Győr (cooperation in Cycling Concept, contract) • Miskolc (cooperation in route planning, cycling map) • Szeged, Debrecen (local groups are involved by the city) • Budapest Bike Parking suggestions
- 11. 3. References, Good Examples The role of HCC in Hungary can also be a good example for organizations in other “climber” countries.
- 12. 4. Impact of our NGO Critical Mass Competence Volunteer work Advocacy and lobby Financial background
- 13. 4. Impact of our NGO • We are respected as a relevant organisation in bike issues. • More and more municipalities and companies ask for our opinion. • HCC cannot be ignored in governmental processes. • Journalists, news hawks, reporters call our office regularly.
- 14. 5. Dilemmas How seriously an NGO can be taken? Value of our knowledge / value of civil work ? Borders between volunteer / professional work ? Relationship with Consultant Companies, business sector?
- 15. Any questions? Virág BENCZE-KOVÁCS HCC b.k.virag@gmail.com kozlekedes@kerekparosklub.hu www.kerekparosklub.hu www.mobilityweek.eu
Editor's Notes
- Our main question is: How could and how should a civil organisation actively participate in the process of creating a cycle-friendly city? We can see that in the case of a “climber” country, this factor is indispensable. Situation analysis In countries like Hungary, a relatively low level of car ownership and high but decreasing share of public transport are common phenomena in “climber” countries. However, cycling is two-faced with a striking contrast between cities and the countryside. If some tasks – such as promotion of cycling or maintainance, or even route planning - are not fulfilled properly by the public sector, these tasks are done or motivated by civil organisations.
- CM The HCC is an NGO originating from the Critical Mass movement. The highest number of participant in the CM demonstration was in 2008, eighty thousand of cyclist all around the cities. Though the number of people using bicycle as a means of transport grows rapidly in Hungary, decision makers, designers and representatives of transport policy usually ignore this fact. That’s why the professional work of civil organizations has a great importance: support and promotion of cycling can only be integrated into the objectives of municipality leaders based on a bottom-up civil initiative. The increased number of bikers is caused by CM, by the bike to work campaign and awareness raising. --> In the last few years cycling in Budapest became a common phenomenon
- The HCC is an NGO originating from the Critical Mass movement. The highest number of participant in the CM demonstration was in 2008, eighty thousand of cyclist all around the cities. Though the number of people using bicycle as a means of transport grows rapidly in Hungary, decision makers, designers and representatives of transport policy usually ignore this fact. That’s why the professional work of civil organizations has a great importance: support and promotion of cycling can only be integrated into the objectives of municipality leaders based on a bottom-up civil initiative. The increased number of bikers is caused by CM, by the bike to work campaign and awareness raising. In the last few years cycling in Budapest became a common phenomenon
- Since 2004, membership of HCC has increased to 1000 people all over the country, and besides the civil advocacy towards our professional work is strengthened since then. The strength of the Hungarian Cyclists’ Club is that we help for the municipalities with the joint work of the technical working groups and local groups. In our professional teams transport, communication and marketing professionals are involved. We have local groups in 10 cities all over Hungary, where the volunteers express the local needs and experiences. -->We have a regional and professional network for effective advocacy.
- Our partners: Municipalities, Engineering Companies, Manufacturers, Politicians, Governmental apparatus We are lobbying by local governments We present a new approach for traffic design firms We make suggestions for bicycle-rack manufacturers. We influence political decisions, and we pressure on public bodies to develope the cycling network and legal background. --> The value of our role is that we are independent. We bring knowledge and interested parties together.
- What can be done to involve and motivate municipalities? Organising Workshops in the City Hall - professional days --> We show the features of a bike-friendly city, we emphasize the benefits, we talk about the promotional opportunities, we draw up the first and cheapest steps to do - the local groups make local demands and suggestions. (This is usually a high-spirited conversation, in the emerging debate the views of the negotiating parties come closer to one another,, and they even recognize those opportunities and problems that may not have been previously considered.) Making formal and informal contact with designers, giving consultation in the planning of bicycle infrastructure. --> We help the designer to implement appropriate solutions for the bikers. Consultating about planting bike parking facilities --> We have a complete service pack for the design and implementation of bike parking in a lot for public places. (We are connected with the authorities and the manufacturers as well, to speed up the process.) Supporting statement and expertise for state/EU granted bike projects --> We control quality and necessity of the bike routes. Providing designers, decision makers and stakeholders with posters, leaflets and technical articles --> We publish and spread the latest technical recommendations and guidelines. --> Our idea is to form long-term agreements with municipalities.
- I show the results of our work in the last two years. We have played a significant role in the changing process of road code. We have participated in the committee working on the new Cycling Design Standard. We help the private and public sector as well to plant more and more bike parking place. We have cooperated in forming the Cycling Concept of Budapest, we have formed a bicycle working group in the city hall , that works at least on monthly basis. Thus, we can control the developments. The success of our lobby is the new type of cycling facilitis in Bp .: new bikelanes, one-way streets, bus-bike lanes, advanced stop lane)
- Our good examples in other cities are the following: We have prepared the Cycling Concept for Érd, and the vice mayor asks for our opinion on the development projects regularly. In Miskolc, we lead a Bike-friendly Workshop, and we were also involved in the consultation of bike network planning. In January 2010, Győr accepted the City's Cycling Programme prepared in cooperation with HCC and the municipality. In Szeged and Debrecen, the local groups are involved in the bike affairs by the city. We have prepared Bike Parking Map for 5 different districts in Budapest. The bike stands are under construction…likely, hopefully. Thus, we can truly cooperate in a useful and integrated way with municipalities which are open to our efforts. The decision makers of the municipalities are often not aware of good examples, they are not familiar with the literature on bicycle safety and design, promotion methods. For the first sight it seems to be difficult to accept that these good practices can be used in Hungary as well. But after a longer cooperation it becomes easier. The role of HCC in Hungary can also be a good example for organizations in other “climber” countries.