The primary responsibilities for planning and promoting cycling are held at municipal level; the Länder, German federal government and EU hold secondary responsibility in this matter. General mobility enhancement for pedestrians and cyclists is best promoted in localities themselves. Municipalities bring forth their interests at the state level – federal and Länder – through their leading municipal associations.
Horizontal municipal networks aimed at promoting cycling have been regionally established to help implement projects such as cycling routes. They pool municipal resources for cycling promotion at Land level and facilitate access to state funding. Municipal networks advise the leading municipal associations on how to lobby more effectively at the federal level to promote cycling.