Around 50,000 people cycle through Copenhagen every day.
How can the city do it?
James Thoem from the Copenhagenize office was able to give you an answer.
Freising
- Almost 50,000 people cycle through the Danish capital every day. How does Copenhagen do it? James Thoem, managing director of the Danish office “Copenhagenize”, was able to give an answer to this question. On Tuesday evening, at the invitation of the city of Freising, he gave a lecture in front of around 100 interested listeners on why the citizens of Copenhagen like to use bicycles so much. A bridge meandering over the sea, only for cyclists and pedestrians. Wide cycle paths that are protected from the flowing car traffic on the adjacent streets by parking bays. Roundabouts that are laid out in concentric circles - the blue outer ring belongs to the cyclists: Copenhagen is number one in the world when it comes to bike-friendliness, informed the managing director,who, with his group “Copenhagenize”, examines the cyclist friendliness of large cities around the globe.
The status quo
In Copenhagen, 62 percent of citizens now cycle to work or school, only nine percent drive by car.
The rest use the buses or walk.
Why?
You cycle simply because it is the fastest and most comfortable way for you to move forward, so the amazing explanation of the expert.
Other figures presented by the Dane were interesting.
About 40 percent of the citizens of Copenhagen stated in surveys that they use the bike for health reasons, and only seven (!) Percent named the “environment” as the reason for cycling.
The acceptance
The speaker also recalled that there was not always acceptance for bicycles in neighboring EU countries. This is borne out by pictures from the center of the Scandinavian capital from the 1960s - one sheet metal limousine stood next to the other. How does the place present itself today? Free of cars, populated by bicycles. 321 million euros were invested in cycling in Copenhagen between 2006 and 2019. And that paid off. "If you build it, they will come," emphasized James, who gave his remarks in English. “If you build it, it will be used”: That is the simple explanation why the bicycle is so attractive in Copenhagen. And: “You have to make cycling safe so that all age groups feel comfortable on the cycle lane”. Because cyclists are not motoristsbut pedestrians on wheels, according to the expert.
Green parliamentary spokesman Werner Habermayer wanted to know whether such a concept could also be implemented in Freising with its many hills. There is a completely different topography in Copenhagen. The streets are flat. Multi-lane cycle paths are more likely there. James referred here to the example of Lisbon. The city "of seven hills", as the capital of Portugal is also called, has a good cycle path concept. You have to evaluate first, according to the expert, and then evaluate the data. Ultimately, cycling is the cheapest way for citizens to get around. One of the listeners wanted to know whether this economic “benefit” would also be of interest to the generation whose “dearest child” is still the car. If the necessary infrastructure for bicycles is there, switching to bicycles is easier, said the speaker.
facts and figures
The mobility officer of the city of Freising, Dominik Fuchs, emphasized that the bike was “not a by-product” in the cathedral city either.
The latest numbers for city and school cycling have confirmed this.
A total of 931 citizens covered 150,000 kilometers in 43 teams.
The winners were honored during the event.
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