In the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region, the Office for Cycle Superhighways manages the regional, national and international press, while the municipalities in the collaboration are often responsible for, or closely involved in, local press coverage.
You can find new and previous press releases (in Danish) from the Office for Cycle Superhighways here.
Guide to creating press releases or news
When preparing stories about cycle superhighways for potential press coverage, there are a number of questions that are relevant to answer. This applies regardless of whether the coverage is about a future or an implemented route, an event or a campaign, or about cycle superhighways in general. Additionally, it may be relevant to consult the communication strategies.
What is the story about?
What is the angle of the story?
The narrative becomes sharpest and easiest to sell if there is focus on one story/angle rather than multiple stories and messages at once.
Who should be quoted?
It is a good idea to have at least one person quoted, but preferably a couple more to broaden the perspective. In local stories, it is obvious to have the mayor or a local politician quoted, just as an employer or an ambassador could be appropriate depending on the angle of the story.
What is the purpose of the story?
According to the five journalistic news criteria, a news story must be either:
- Current
- Significant
- Contain conflict
- Create identification
- Contain the unexpected
Although cycle superhighway news may be less “news-heavy”, it can be a good idea to consider which news criteria your story meets. It can help shape the story or point to an obvious source for a quote.
Which media or media outlets should the story be submitted to?
As a rule, the story often determines the media. If it is a local and current story, the local newspaper and possibly the regional newspaper are suitable for both print and web. If it is an identity-building story that is not locally anchored or one that can be expanded geographically, regional media outlets may be suitable.
When to release the story?
The printed weekly newspapers typically have a deadline for submitting press releases about a week before the publication date, while web articles can be posted online continuously.
If there is a need for press coverage leading up to or in connection with a specific event, it is a good idea to prepare and contact relevant media well in advance. The same applies if there is a need to arrange for larger/special coverage, as was the case for the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration’s series on the Danish regional TV channel, TV2 Kosmopol, that was filmed during a one month period in connection with an e-bike challenge.
Guide to press regarding future cycle superhighways
The establishment of a cycle superhighway affects existing and potential commuters and users of the cycle path as well as residents in the local area, both during construction and after opening. But before a route is established, it must be decided politically. Therefore, route communication is important long before, during and after the realisation of a cycle highway.
Already when it has been decided politically, and funds have been allocated to build a cycle superhighway, it is relevant to communicate to the municipality’s citizens, the current commuters on the route and potential future commuters, that a cycle superhighway is on the way. Early announcement of the build of a future cycle superhighway is positive news, which can also be used to address any criticism and allow for dialogue.
Depending on the scope of the news, press coverage may consist of a small announcement with the most central information or a more comprehensive announcement such as a press release, news article, social media post or similar. This is especially relevant for a long-awaited route, a larger or more expensive project that will receive extra attention or a project expected to receive local criticism.
Important and necessary information
- Which route has been decided politically and/or financially?
- Where does the route run? (Remember map material, possibly temporary if the route is not yet finalized)
- When is the build expected to start and finish?
- Is the construction expected to cause inconvenience for existing traffic, especially cyclists on the route?
Additional or supplementary information
- Why is the route prioritized right now?
- What potential or effect is expected from the route?
- What general effects are seen from the construction of cycle highways?
- How else is the municipality working on cycle highways and cycling promotion, and why?
Critical questions to consider before sending out
- Why does the municipality prioritize establishing cycle superhighway routes that benefit neighboring municipalities rather than focusing on local needs? See arguments for this in the mayor’s video from the launch of the Roskilde route.
- What is the cost of the route/the municipality’s share of the route, and why are cycle superhighway routes not expensive, even though the costs may appear extensive in a municipal context? See the socioeconomic analysis for cycle superhighways in the Capital Region from 2021 for economic benefits of cycle superhighways.
- Is expropriation expected in relation to the construction of the route, and how is that process handled?
- Is there an expectation for (the need for) specific citizen involvement, and how is that process handled?
Additional considerations
- Should the mayor be quoted in the announcement? If so, consider if the mayor should respond to some of the questions above in their quotes.
- Should mayors from the (possibly) other municipalities along the route also be quoted in the announcement? If so, consider if the mayors should respond to some of the questions above in their quotes.
- Should the announcement include visual material, such as before pictures of the route in the announcement? Read more about before and after pictures under road work communication.
The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region has press photos of existing routes and various initiatives. The photos are free to use and should be credited to: Cycle Superhighway Collaboration, the Capital Region of Denmark.
Cycle Superhighways target groups
Cycle superhighways have many target groups – both users, decision-makers and planners. It is relevant to remember to consider which target groups you are communicating to and when.
The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region has defined the primary target groups of the collaboration and listed relevant considerations and communication strategies for each target group.
Existing cycling commuters
The existing commuters are the primary target group – the users. This group differs from recreational cyclist because they bike a route rather than a trip. A commuter-bike ride extends both before and after the actual bike ride because it takes a lot of practical considerations and preparations beforehand, and commuters often need to change clothes or shower after biking.
For the bicycle commuters on cycle superhighways, the exercise gained from the bike ride to and from work is the primary motivation for cycling. Distance and time spent on the bike play a smaller role because it is time-efficient to combine exercise and transportation. Among the existing commuters are also the multimodal commuters, who follow the description above but combine the bike ride with public transportation.
Potential cycling commuters
Potential bike commuters could be commuters who want to make more active use of their commuting time or possibly combine a commute by car, train or bus with biking. It could also be commuters who are encouraged by their workplace or other initiatives to switch to bike – temporarily or permanently
From a communications standpoint, the health benefits of cycling are emphasized, along with the message that time spent on the bike is used actively and at one’s own pace. At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that commuting by bike requires planning and may not necessarily result in a faster commute. However, there is time to be saved in one’s sparetime because one improves their health through necessary transportation.
It’s easiest to change habits in connection with a major life change, such as starting a new job or moving. Therefore, there is a big potential in identifying situations where there is an opportunity for habit change. E.g. during the relocation of a major company, at the start of studies, or as a standard introduction for new employees in companies wanting to improve bike promotion.
Experience shows that it gives great results to give potential commuters the opportunity to try out bike commuting for a period, ideally for a month or more, e.g. by participating in cycling campaigns like “Bike to Work” or by offering commuters a bike or e-bike for the test period. Especially with e-bikes, it is crucial for many new commuters to test whether cycling to work is feasible on a daily basis and whether it’s worth the investment before purchasing an expensive e-bike or speed pedelec.
Read more about the test-an-e-bike campaign under events and campaigns.
Citizens in the municipality
In a municipal perspective, local residents are an important target group, as there may be local resistance to cycle superhighways – both against specific routes and the concept in general.
In the communication efforts, it can be advantageous to downplay the speed aspect and highlight that cycle superhighways aim to improve the flow on the routes and ensure as seamless a cycling experience as possible.
See also the list of central communication techniques.
Companies and educational institutions
In the effort to encourage more people to cycle to work, school and education, collaborations with companies and educational institutions near cycle superhighways can help disseminate information about the routes and promote the option of cycling.
Since health is the primary motivation for bike commuters on cycle superhighways, the health benefits can be emphasized, and companies can be guided on what it takes to get more employees cycling. In the communication efforts, there can be a focus on spreading the general narrative about cycle superhighways and/or stimulating internal bike promotion efforts within companies.
Collaborating with businesses can be a resource-intensive task, and it often takes a long time before the effort bears fruit, if it succeeds at all. It requires significant momentum and engagement from the companies, which can be challenging to prioritize. In Denmark, it is possible to refer companies to the Danish Cyclists’ Federation’s Cykelvæksthuset, which specializes in advising on cycling promotion in workplaces. Similar initiatives may excist outside of Denmark as well.
Decision-makers and politicians – municipal, regional and national
Decision-makers need proper knowledge as a basis for decision-making. Therefore, it is important to continuously communicate the effects and results of cycle superhighways.
For political decisions in the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region, facts about the collaboration, the effects of cycle superhighways, and specific data and facts about each individual route can be found in the Collaborations Vision Plan. The Vision Plan is politically approved throughout the collaboration. It contains information about each route, including map materials, key figures, brief route descriptions and potential calculations. For more information about the Vision Plan and descriptions of the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration, see planning.
For more information on result communication about cycle superhighways, see key figures and result communication. For general formulations about the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration, visit the “About Us” page on the collaboration’s website.
Interest and knowledge organizations, collaborators, and cycling initiatives
To enhance awareness of cycle superhighways and promote bike commuting in general, it’s relevant to collaborate with interest and knowledge organizations, other cycling initiatives, and similar entities. Such collaborations facilitate mutual support, exchange of experiences, and knowledge sharing across different stakeholders, contributing to spreading messages and achieving broad-based support.
Photo package and video tour of all cycle superhighways
To document the routes and have photos and videos ready for potential press coverage, a photo package and video tour from each route are integral parts of route communication in the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region.
A photo package consists of professional photos of the route, capturing both specific construction solutions and the atmosphere of the route, e.g. through drone photos. The video tour is a recording of the entire route from start to finish, seen from a cyclist’s perspective and played at high speed. Both photos and video allow users to familiarize themselves with a route from home.
Photos and video are available on the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration’s website under each specific route. Typically, the photos are used for press, presentations, and publications, while the videos are primarily used on the website, but they can also be used for press and presentations.
Remember to ensure that you have the rights to the photos and videoes so that others can use them with proper attribution.
