Impediments for cycling infrastructure funding : The case of Sweden

Abstract: Increasing cycling and making it safer has been a policy at the national level in Sweden for nearly two decades. However, the policy has yielded limited success. Insufficient funding for safe and attractive bicycle infrastructure have been singled out as a key factor. The aim of this study is to examine the intersection where the policy at the national level in Sweden is to be translated into transport planning budgeting and the impediments for the allocation of funds. The method consists of analysing key texts and performing 28 interviews with government officials and national and regional planners to examine professionals’ views on budgeting prac-tices. Actor-network theory (ANT) is applied for the analysis. Impediments are found in disappearing funds, responsibility-delegation to municipalities, unbeneficial cost-benefit methods and organisational hypocrisy. The national transport planning system, as it is enacted in terms of legislation, objectives and practices, is in some aspects rigged in disfavour of cycling investments.