Bike to work

The Bike to Work (BTW) initiative began as a “kilometre-based incentive” for employees of private companies to cycle to work, tracked by a mobile app that encourged competition through a gaming approach with visible rankings. The local government rewarded the top performers with certificates handed out during a public event. The BTW project fostered productive collaborations between companies, schools, and the local administration, enabling new mobility solutions to be explored. For example, a local company funded the purchase of e-bikes. 

Competitions are also suitable for engaging younger users. In 2023, students were involved in a bike “race” from home to school, with prizes for the best performances.  

Bike to Work's success lies in its integration within broader strategic frameworks, such as the city of Faenza’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP) and the Union of Romagna Faentina’s Strategic Plan. This approach prioritises mobility measures as a key political objective not only in the city, but also throughout the Union of Romagna Faentina where five other municipalities are exploring implementation at local level. 

The Bike to Work (BTW) initiative uses an integrated approach to address urban challenges by synergising efforts across various sectors and stakeholders. It fosters collaboration between private companies and local administration, leveraging the strengths of each to promote sustainable mobility. This partnership employs innovative methods such as mobile app tracking, competitive incentives, and integrated funding, to optimise the initiative's effectiveness.  

Furthermore, BTW aligns with broader strategic frameworks like the Municipality Mobility Urban Plan and the Union’s Strategic Plan, ensuring its objectives resonate with overarching political agendas. This integration ensures its sustainability within long-term urban development strategies. BTW responds to evolving citizen demands, for example, by including other social categories like students, demonstrating its adaptability and responsiveness to community needs.  

Overall, BTW promotes healthier lifestyles, reduces vehicle congestion, and mitigates carbon emissions, by addressing all the dimensions of urban development:  

Economic: Bike users can be rewarded with up to a EUR 50 per month (20 cents per kilometre).  

Environmental: Using bicyles reduces private car use, reducing emissions and improving air quality.  

Social: The experience gained by implementing the BTW initiative has led to the approach being expanded towards students. 

The co-design process demonstrates a strong participatory approach, engaging both private and public stakeholders. Key participants include local associations like the "Consulta faentina della bicicletta", companies’ and schools’ mobility managers, and public administration sectors dealing with sustainable mobility. Continuous dialogue, since the start of the project, has helped identify and address the needs and expectations of residents.  

Through regular meetings with the local administration, the initiative has been refined and new pathways for public-private partnerships explored. Importantly, the project has benefitted from vertical and horizontal coordination at the regional level across various local municipal services. Effective implementation of the Bike to Work initiative has required constant and incremental cooperation across sectors and administrative levels. This comprehensive participatory approach ensures that the project is guided by collective input and responsive to community needs. 

Before the Bike to Work project, over 50% of daily trips were made by car, while only 14.6% used bicycles (2020 data). The city also faced air pollution problems due to high levels of PM10.  

Since the project began, 1 235 people have made 188 357 bicycle trips covering 613 936 km (15 times the earth’s circumference) and saving around of 86 837 kg of CO2, representing a significant environmental benefit.  

As a result, some local companies have integrated the app into their sustainability programmes, and used their own funding to promote sustainable mobility among their employees. For example, Tema Sinergie reimburses season tickets for public transport and proposes team challenges for those who cover the most km in a sustainable way, including by bicycle, rewarding them with vouchers. In 2022, 43 of their employees enrolled in the BTW project and, over the 1-month monitoring period, travelled 5 059 km, made 485 trips, and saved 124.53 kg of CO2. In 2023, during a 5-month period, there were 62 participating employees, who travelled 10 133 km, made 1 841 trips, and saved 974.27 kg of CO2. 

The Bike to Work (BTW) initiative promotes cycling as a primary mode of transport, supporting several international, EU and national policy goals: 

• UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 13 (Climate action). 

• Urban Agenda for the EU, by promoting sustainable urban mobility, active transport, healthier lifestyles, and improved air quality.  

• EU Territorial Agenda principles, by promoting cohesion and balanced territorial development.  

The project’s successful collaboration between public and private sectors showcases innovative governance models that can be replicated in other EU cities. Its use of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and its alignment with existing planning documents, such as SUMP, ensures the BTW initiative is highly replicable and scalable, given that most EU cities possess similar mobilisation instruments. 

BTW’s adaptable approach can be modified to suit different contexts, as demonstrated by its transfer to the Castel Bolognese municipality and to private companies, for example, Tema Sinergie demonstrated its potential for broader application. Amendments can focus on funding mechanisms or the targeting of broader audiences, such as other social groups. 

For successful replication or adaption elsewhere, the following principles are key:  

• Co-design to integrate private actors into the decision-making process.  

• Feedback mechanisms for refining the initiative or expanding it.  

• Rather than a stand-alone approach, it should be anchored to existing plans and strategies.