Pro Velo Switzerland
| Pro Velo Switzerland (Pro Velo) |
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| Chair: | Matthias Aebischer |
| Executive Director: | Christoph Merkli |
| Establishment date: | 1975 |
| Number of members: | 35,000 |
| Seat : | Bern |
| Website: | www.pro-velo.ch |
Pro Velo Schweiz is the national umbrella organization of 40 local and regional associations in all parts of Switzerland . The association is a politically independent and federally organized non-profit organization . The seat is in Bern.
In 1975 the interest group (IG) Velo was founded as a regional organization in Basel. On January 1, 2008 the name was changed from IG Velo Schweiz to Pro Velo Schweiz, in order to use the same name in all language regions.
activities
The association coordinates the activities of its affiliated regional associations and organizations. The association takes a position on questions of transport policy, traffic safety and environmental protection in the transport sector. At the political level, studies are carried out, campaigns launched, petitions and initiatives submitted.
The association is committed to all matters relating to bicycles, in particular for safety and comfort, for improvements in the field of bicycles and for links between motor-free individual transport and public transport. The official organ of the members for the German-speaking Switzerland is the " velo journal " in the French-speaking Switzerland , the "PRO VELO info".
Projects initiated and carried out by the association are a growing area:
Prix Velo : The prize is awarded alternately in the three different categories “Infrastructure”, “Businesses” and “Velostädte”. The “Companies” award is aimed at organizations that promote cycling for the benefit of their employees. The “Infrastructure” award is aimed at municipalities, cantons and private individuals who contribute to greater safety and comfort in bicycle traffic with specific infrastructure measures. At the “Velostädte” Prix, the bicycle-friendliness of a municipality is recognized.
The association also operates the “Velostationen Schweiz” and “Bikesharing Schweiz” forums and sends out regular newsletters on these topics and invites you to information meetings.
The association has been offering safety courses for families, young people and adults since the 1990s. They see themselves as a supplement to the official traffic education in schools.
bike to work is supposed to bring a growing number of commuters on their way to work for one month every year. The association appeals primarily to the health of the participants.
“Bike2school” promotes cycling on the way to school and thereby sensitizes schoolchildren, their parents and teachers to safety issues and sensible and healthy mobility.
The association is strongly influenced by the regional associations. These implement the Pro Velo policy locally. You are committed to fast, safe and comfortable bike connections and good parking spaces. Advising administrations, authorities and private individuals is just as much a part of the activities as the organization of bike exchanges, bike safety courses for children and adults and joint bike repair days. For example, the association was part of the initiative committee for the cantonal referendum “More for the bike” in the canton of Lucerne .
In addition, Pro Velo Switzerland is a member of the Swiss Climate Alliance .