In mid-December, they were everywhere in Paris. For a month and a half, the converts to the little queen due to the strike in transport massively took possession of the cycle paths. On a Vélib, an old poorly adjusted mountain bike or a brand new electric bike, the “neo-cyclists” have swelled the peloton of “vélotafeurs”. The network of around sixty sensors from the City of Paris then recorded unprecedented visits, with two to three times more cyclists than usual on certain cycle sections.
Since January 20, when almost all of the metro lines returned to normal operation, what has become of these bicycle enthusiasts? At first glance, the ebb is spectacular. The tracks returned to a level equivalent to that before the strike launched on December 5. Compared to the week of the peak of the strike, from December 16 to 20, their number dropped by 53% last week, according to calculations by the Paris cell Data.
And yet, according to a study by cabinet 6-t on the impact of the strike, the “neo-cyclists” are the people of Ile-de-France most “satisfied” with their experience. 59% even said they were ready to continue after the strike. It is not.
As many cyclists in January as in September
On the other hand, if you take a step back, the number of bikes beats records for a month of January, a period when rain, cold and wind usually discourage many cyclists. For the period from 20 to 31 January, an average of 88 bikes per hour were recorded on 33 sections analyzed. They were 38 per hour a year ago, an increase of 131% over this period! Better, in Paris, as many people pedal at the end of January as in September, a much more pleasant month already marked by an increase of 54% in the number of cyclists. “It is a sign that the rise of the bicycle is a fundamental phenomenon. The status of cycling has changed, especially since the appearance of secure cycle paths. The strike has shown that it is a reliable and credible means of transport, ”analyzes Jean-Sébastien Catier, of the Paris en selle association.
Amanda, met on the two-way track on boulevard de Strasbourg (Paris, Xe), is one of these new cyclists who "resist". "I started with the strike in December and I am continuing!" Smiles the young Scottish girl. It makes me exercise and I get to work faster. ” Etienne, a former regular on the metro, has invested in a bicycle and is thinking of abandoning his Navigo. "I can no longer bear transport," says this 36-year-old father, who pedaled from Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis) to the National Assembly each morning. When I took over line 12, I had a shock, with at least five drug addicts begging in the train. It's a bit loose, but on a bike, I feel free, I can escape from this sad and unbearable reality ”.
Twice as many bikes at the gates of Paris
Like Etienne, many commuters seem to travel to the capital by bicycle. The data from the sensors highlights a very strong increase in traffic at the gates of Paris. The biggest increases in one year are observed at Pont National (12th, + 213%), rue Julia Bartet (14th, + 193%), Georges-Pompidou route or even Quai de Bercy (12th + 189%) or quai de la Marne (19th, + 182%).
Ironically, the proliferation of bikes on the tracks does not only make people happy, especially among ... cyclists. "I too started cycling during the strikes ... of 1995!" Laughs François. Since then, I have never stopped. I take 25 minutes to go from my home in the 19th century to my store in the 4th arrondissement. All these new bikes are good, but I have never seen such incivility as during this strike. At least fifteen years ago, we were quiet. ”
