The plan starts with an investigation of policy plans and data concerning bicycle use in neighbouring countries, the Austrian 'Länder' and towns. On the basis of these comparisons an effectiveness range is determined for measures. The plan distinguishes seven policy areas, of which an attractive and safe bicycle infrastructure is but one. The others are national co-ordination, general traffic management, mobility management, public transport + bike, promotion and education and finally legal frameworks. Within these areas a total of 17 measures is named and specified.
These policy areas and measures offer few remarkable points. It is a good example of integral policy as might be contained to a greater or lesser extent in a new Dutch bicycle plan. The major difference, however, is in the objectives of bicycle policy, which are explicitly linked to the level of bicycle use in the Austrian plan.
The Austrian bicycle plan originates with the 'Lebensministerium'. This is short for a ministry (BMLFUW) in charge of agriculture, environment, water and food.. The bicycle plan emphatically does not originate with the ministry of transport, innovation and technology (BMVIT).
This would be truly revolutionary in the Dutch situation. But in Austria anyway this matches the objectives of the bicycle plan. These are not specifically directed towards mobility, but to the environment and health: '(..) als Beitrag zur Erreichung von Umwelt- und Gesundheitszielen'. And this appears to have a direct relation to the current bicycle use in Austria. On average 5% of all transfers occur by bicycle.