Direct link to the online petition: http://swiss-cycling.ch/de/news/1761-online-petition-gegen-bikeverbot-im-kanton-bern-.html

Press release from Swiss Cycling:

The cantonal Bernese forest law is to ban biking off paved forest roads. This ban would mean the end of mountain biking, both for recreational and competitive sports. Swiss Cycling, the national cycling association, is opposing the planned change in the law, which would have a national signal effect, and has called on everyone to sign up to the newly launched online petition against the change in the law.

The change to the law in the canton of Bern has been on Swiss Cycling's mind for several weeks. This is because this change would have devastating consequences for mountain biking, one of Switzerland's most popular leisure activities: The sport could no longer be practiced in its current form. Because biking only on paved forest trails is no longer biking. Thousands of children, young people, amateur athletes and top athletes would no longer be able to practice their sport, or only illegally, if the new Bernese Forest Act were implemented.

Top-class sport is being robbed of infrastructure
Three-time world champion, Olympic medal winner and former World Cup winner Christoph Sauser is directly affected. The man from Sigriswil was astonished to hear about the plans of the Bernese cantonal government during his training trip to South Africa: "If this change in the law is adopted, it will have drastic consequences for me as a professional mountain biker. The forest, nature, that's my training infrastructure. I would no longer be able to do technical training. It would almost be like skiers only being able to train in the gym."

Nature as an infrastructure is indispensable for Swiss Cycling's top athletes. The forest, which is respected and treated accordingly during training, is at the heart of Swiss mountain biking's success. Sauser wants to fight for a medal at the Olympic Games in London in August. However, in the very year of the Olympic Games, legislation is now set to put an end to the sport of biking. In 2013, the European Mountain Bike Championships will also be held in the federal capital of Bern. It is hard to imagine that this will be in a canton
that drives bikers into illegality.

In addition to competitive athletes, professionals as well as promising young riders, the changes to the law would affect around 400 children and young people in Bernese cycling clubs. The clubs offer children and young people a meaningful leisure activity. For clubs, bike training in the forest on forest roads alone is hardly feasible any more. As a result, several hundred children would lose their beloved and meaningful leisure activity.

Needs of 50,000 disregarded
When drafting the new law, it is surprising that the needs of the population were not taken into account in any way. According to statistics, mountain biking has long been one of the most practiced sports among the Swiss population. In the canton of Bern alone, 50,000 bikers are regularly out and about in the forest. The interests of such a large population group are being disregarded. It is an unimaginable scenario that several tens of thousands of bikers who engage in health-promoting sports are banned from their leisure activity.

Like most recreational bikers, Christoph Sauser can hardly report any conflicts with other forest users: "Over the years, I've had no problems with other forest users, with a few exceptions - and they haven't had any problems with me either," says Sauser. Considerate coexistence in the forest works. Nevertheless, Swiss Cycling is well aware of certain problems among the various user groups. The needs of nature must be considered and respected. However, the discussion about a bike ban lacks any sense of proportion: the damage caused by bikes is not comparable to the damage caused by massive interventions with heavy forestry machinery.

The ban clearly misses the mark. In November 2010, Swiss Cycling adopted a joint position paper with the Swiss Hiking Trails, the bfu and SwitzerlandMobility. Together, the four parties continue to advocate considerate coexistence. Swiss Cycling is also involved in the new national "Safe Mountain Biking Expert Group" (FSMTB) in order to find a consensus between the individual user groups in the recreational area with various federal agencies (FEDRO Slow Traffic, FOSPO, bfu), the Swiss cable cars, Swiss Hiking Trails, Pro Velo Schweiz and representatives of the tourism regions.Invitation to participate in the consultation process
Swiss Cycling will send its own letter to the Bernese cantonal government as part of the consultation process. In addition, the national cycling association is calling on all affected individuals, groups, clubs, companies and interest groups to register with the online petition and participate in the consultation process by March 2, 2012 at the latest. Opposition to the planned forest law in the canton of Bern must be as broad as possible. If the amendment to the law is adopted, there is a risk that bikes will soon be banned throughout Switzerland.