Working together for activity and safety. The Association of Polish Provinces and PZU have signed a letter of intent.

The document was signed in Warsaw during a press conference by Bogdan Benczak, President of PZU, Olgierd Geblewicz, President of the Association of Polish Provinces and Marshal of the West Pomeranian Province, and Łukasz Prokorym, Member of the Management Board of the Association of Polish Provinces and Marshal of the Podlaskie Province.

The signed agreement confirmed the willingness of PZU and provincial governments to engage in long-term cooperation in the field of educational and preventive activities carried out on a national scale, taking into account the specific characteristics and needs of individual regions. The parties declared their joint commitment to initiatives aimed at improving the safety of cyclists and raising awareness among road users.

“In Western Pomerania, we started working on the issue of cycle routes over 10 years ago. Everyone associates our region with the sea; we have 180 km of beautiful beaches. We also have forests and lakes. But the season lasted only two months. Our intention was to create a product that would extend this season,” says Marshal Olgierd Geblewicz.

“We are the leader in this respect in the country, and I think this is a trend that we cannot escape. Tourists have fallen in love with our cycle routes, but so have the residents of the region. In a way, we have invested in their health, because physical activity is good for it,” adds Olgierd Geblewicz.

The cooperation between PZU and the Association of Polish Provinces is an important element of the “Rowerowa Polska PZU” programme and creates a framework for coordinating activities at the national and regional levels.

“Today, the bicycle is not only one of the most popular means of transport, but also a way to achieve health and mental and physical comfort. For many, it has become part of their lifestyle, regardless of the season. More and more Poles are cycling and doing so more and more often. Our forecasts indicate that this trend will continue. As a socially responsible insurer that accompanies Poles in the most important moments of their lives, we at PZU want to support this activity so that it is not only enjoyable, but above all safer and even more beneficial to health and well-being – emphasises Bogdan Benczak, President of PZU.

A PZU survey shows that nearly 19 million adult Poles use bicycles. Only one in five give up cycling in winter – the vast majority continue to ride their bikes even in the colder months. During the season, almost half of them ride several times a week, and over a fifth ride every day or almost every day. 82% treat cycling as a form of relaxation, 78% seek contact with nature, and 74% use bicycles to stay fit.

The launch of the ‘Rowerowa Polska PZU’ programme marks the beginning of a whole range of initiatives supporting safety and modern mobility. The programme will include comprehensive activities in the areas of education, prevention, health and community activation.

This year marks the start of the first stage – “Find your pace!”, which will consist of large outdoor events throughout Poland, including educational workshops and preventive activities carried out in cooperation with the Police and GOPR (Mountain Volunteer Rescue Service) and with the support of local governments. One such event will be the 3rd Polish-German Cycling Tourism Days, scheduled for 27 and 28 February, which will take place at the Marshal's Office of the West Pomeranian Province in Szczecin. In the coming years, the project will be developed, among other things, through support for schools and the intensification of cycling education.

Based on materials from ZWRP and PZU