Austria: Is there any movement now?

Justizia Österreich

Photo: Shutterstock

In Austria, the troublesome situation of mountain bikers is to be taken in hand. This is according to none other than Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler. The Ministries of Sport, Forestry and the State Secretariat for Tourism are to draw up a nationwide mountain bike strategy.

Mountain bikers are known to have a difficult time in Austria. As a rule, they are even prohibited from accessing gravel roads. Not to mention single trails. The fact that this is an untenable situation seems to have been recognized at the very top of the government. Sports Minister and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler announced today, Wednesday, that a national mountain bike strategy is to be drawn up in Austria. State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler is also blowing the same horn. She sees a need for action, especially as mountain biking is a growing future topic in leisure sports.

Few details are known about the next steps. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture, an individualized strategy is now to be developed for each federal state. Municipalities or tourism associations are to conclude usage agreements with landowners for the expansion of the route network.

The announcements and statements are still vague and non-binding and should therefore be treated with caution rather than euphoria. The location in the Ministry of Agriculture also plays into the hands of skeptics. Nevertheless, something is different in this case: the direction of travel is now coming from the very top in the Chancellery, which gives the issue a new priority. Austria now needs to build on this momentum to finally improve the untenable situation of mountain bikers.

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