Bicycles are for the city

Those who opt for micro-mobility vehicles such as bicycles tend to do so, among other reasons, because they are economical, fast, sustainable and healthy. However, according to the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, in Spain only 1.7% of all trips to work, school or other basic tasks are made by bike. However, the direction of travel is encouraging, and ambitious goals are even being set, such as reaching a 10% modal share of cycling in Spain’s main cities and towns by 2030, which would be a huge step forward in reducing polluting emissions.

To achieve this goal, shared spaces need to be accessible and safe for sustainable modes of transport. That is why urban planning is changing from the traditional model, designed to shape cities around the car, to a model in which infrastructures and services are designed for people and facilitate trips in an inclusive manner, considering different personal, economic, social and environmental needs and circumstances. This includes improving urban infrastructures, promoting bike-sharing schemes, adapting regulations to better integrate cycling mobility into everyday trips and raising public awareness of the benefits of cycling.

Madrid, Spain – June 27, 2023: View of electric bicycles and scooter rental services at the Reina Sofia Museum area and Atocha Railway Station, in Madrid, Spain. Rentals are managed by a smartphone application.

How to encourage the population to take up cycling

According to the Spanish Bicycle Barometer, those who cycle on a regular basis find it to be one of the fastest ways of getting around the city. However, those who do not believe that the car or public transport is faster, so there is still a lack of awareness about the advantages of cycling, and strategies to make this means of transport more attractive.

Bike-sharing services can encourage more people to cycle. According to a study carried out by Ipsos for the bike sharing firm Fifteen, 33% of Spaniards have used a bike-sharing service at some point, of whom 25% have done so in a Spanish city that is not their home city, and 8% abroad. A very significant fact is that 68% of participants in the study said that trying a bike sharing service has encouraged them to cycle more frequently. INECO’s Bicycle in the City study also points out that, in general, Spanish cities with the highest percentage of bicycle use (>2%) are those with the most public bicycles per inhabitant (>19%). Therefore, cities with a good supply of shared bicycles encourage their use among residents and, at the same time, promote more sustainable tourism.

An essential factor to encourage more people to use a bike sharing service is good cycling infrastructure. Globally, if we look at the Copenhagenize Index, a benchmark ranking of cities around the world for cycling mobility, the top-ranked cities have between 3 and 20 kilometres of bike lanes per 10,000 inhabitants and a percentage of people using bicycles ranging from 10% to 50%.

Micromobility leaves no one behind Last April, the European Declaration on Bicycle Use was signed, which offers some important guidelines in planning and promotion cycling as a healthy, inclusive, safe and sustainable means of transport. This declaration includes the importance of providing sufficient space for cycling mobility, creating networks linking rural areas, suburban areas and urban centres, increasing the number of safe and secure bicycle parking spaces, especially at train and bus stations, and encouraging charging points for electric bicycles.

This statement insists on the need to promote accessible mobility for all people, regardless of age, gender or disability. Inclusion is also one of the basic criteria included in the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda’s Recommendations for the design of cycling infrastructure and, currently, universal design or design for all people has a solid legal framework at national and international level. Eliminating architectural barriers, supporting accessible transport and offering solutions to enable the performance of daily activities contribute to creating more liveable cities.

Is it safe to travel by bicycle?

Safety is one of the aspects that most influences cycling accessibility and bicycle use. According to another Ipsos study, the countries with the highest bicycle use are also those where the population feels the safest when cycling. For example, the Netherlands, where a higher percentage of people say they use bicycles to commute to work or school (30%) and for short distances (45%), has the lowest percentage of people who feel unsafe on a bicycle (14%). The presence of wide and uniform bike paths, the use of clear and accessible signage (such as pavements with tactile stripes) or good street lighting can have a significant impact on the safety of cycling networks and facilitate daily trips for many people, including those with disabilities or reduced mobility.

In short, the bicycle is becoming a key part of cities. This new model, which takes into account the diversity of the population’s needs, helps different modes of urban transport to coexist and promotes the health and wellbeing of all people.