The Dutch recognised a need for a radical shift in their transportation strategy in the 1970s, catalyzed by the oil crisis of 1973, and social discontent at the ever-burgeoning danger on their roads. Back then, the Netherlands was headed for as much of a car-centric culture as anyone, yet it had the foresight to rethink policies and begin to steer a new, bike-friendly course.

Now, the UK has plans of its own, initiated by the recently published ‘Get Britain Cycling’ enquiry, a multi-party investigation into the steps that need to be taken to transform the UK into a cycling nation.

A series of 18 recommendations have been made, framed by the belief that “it is both possible and necessary to expand the role of cycling in the nation’s transport and social life.” These include upping the ratio of journeys made by bicycle to 10% by 2025, from the 2% modal share that it stands at right now – with a suggested 20% target for 2050. The enquiry advocates an amount of £10 (€12) be allocated per person per year within the transport budget, to cover road planning and safety. London, which recently announced its own cycling shake-up, has already promised £12.50 (€15) per person for the next 10 years. The Dutch, incidentally, spend £24 (€28) per person per year – it’s no coincidence that they have a nation-leading 27% cycling modal share across all journeys.

Soon to be a common sight around the UK?

Creating a safe environment that encourages cycling is also seen as a key ingredient to shifting mainstream habits, with a proposed vehicle speed limit capped to 20mph (32kph) in urban areas – down from the current 30mph (48 kph) – and a decrease to 40mph (65kph) on rural roads. Similarly, bringing cycling into the national curriculum by teaching school children bicycle handling skills is on the proposed list – just as kids are taught to swim, they should be taught to ride a bike. The report also encourages local authorities to build high quality cycle routes on existing roads, and to factor cycling into all planning decisions, from transportation to new houses and businesses.

A petition was launched in light of the investigation urging the government to not just recognise Get Britain Cycling’s findings but to begin implementing its recommendations, summing up succinctly the associated benefits in their message: “The inquiry, chaired by a cross-party panel of MPs and peers, heard that promoting cycling as a healthy and affordable way to travel can tackle Britain’s obesity crisis, save millions from NHS [National Health Service] budgets, boost the economy and reduce congestion on our roads and trains.”

It’s for this reason that the enquiry suggests funding for this cycling rebirth be drawn from all coffers of government. The rationale? Since cycling has so many benefits, its growth should come from a broad selection of departments too – rather than being solely the responsibility of the Department of Transport. The report, and the associated petition, has already gained the support of key business figures in the UK, and has been endorsed by such entrepreneurial luminaries as Richard Branson, who said to The Times: “As a keen cyclist myself, I think the recommendations in the Get Britain Cycling report make a lot of sense. Getting more people out of their cars and on their bikes could make a real contribution to the economy and individual businesses by getting people fit and boosting productivity.”

London has helped popularised cycling with its bike sharing scheme. The capital promises much more to come.

So, the advice is out there, in the open for everyone to see. London has already paved the way for radical change with its promised €1 billion cash injection into its cycling infrastructure. Recent successes in the Tour de France and the Olympics have brought cycling into the limelight. As Julian Huppert, co-chair of the enquiry group, summed up: “This generation of politicians has the chance to be long remembered for having a vision for cycling that includes us all. Put simply, Britain needs to re-learn how to cycle.”

Standing up and pushing through Get Britain Cycling’s recommendations will now take a bold, strong leadership. Let’s hope that the UK can echo its Dutch cousins, 40 years later.

Images copyright Tejvan

PeopleForBikes  aims to gather a million names of support, “to speak with one, powerful voice – to make bicycling safer, more convenient and appealing for everyone.” By issuing a unified message, the movement hopes its words will rings all the clearer within the US Congress, regional governments, cities and the general media across the United States.

As such, PeopleForBikes promotes cycling in all it forms within the US – road, mountain bike and commuting alike – in its pursuit to turn the tide of its car-centric culture. According to the organisation, 47% of Americans would like to see more bike lanes and trails within their communities. Given that 50% of all journeys made notching up less than 4.8km/3 miles in distance in the US, the scope for change is vast.

PeopleForBikes wants to hear from you: road cyclists, mountain bikers and commuters alike.

Creating a more cycle friendly and less car-centric cityscape.

In its attempts to galvanize cyclists into signing the petition, the movement – under the umbrella of the bike industry-funded Bikes Belong – cites economic savings to be made too. On average, $8000 dollars are currently spent owning and operating a car. Similarly, $10 can be saved each day by cycling rather than driving 16km/10 miles to work. Health benefits are quoted too: riding just three hours a week should cut the risk of heart disease and strokes by half.

To arm individuals with relevant data, PeopleforBikes provides facts and stats sheets to download. It encourages the active participation in local cycling events, such as trail networks, to help spread the word and help strengthen cycling within local communities. The associated website provides a sounding board for telling your own cycling story and inspiring others.

Sign the pledge and help cycling for the next generation.

May is the beginning of National Bike Month in the US – so sign the pledge and let your passion for cycling help pave the way for a more bike-friendly future.

Images copyright BikesBelong

Northern California’s Bay Area is world renowned for both its high tech industries and its place within the pages of mountain biking history. But away from the mighty redwoods of Marin County and the glitz of San Francisco, cycling as a form of transport is taking a foothold amongst lower income communities. An important proponent in this change is the aptly named Cycles of Change, striving “to enable East Bay flatlands communities to use bicycles as a healthy, low-cost, efficient and safe for of primary transportation.”

The organisation’s work takes on a variety of two wheeled forms, carried out at both schools around the Bay area and at the Bikery, Cycle of Changes’ community, not-for-profit bike shop. For starters, there are bicycle recovery and restoration workshops; during the last year alone, a thousand bikes have been returned to life, 350 of which were provided for free as part of the organisation’s community earn-a-bike programmes. Also for the bereft of cost, around 1250 members of the area – over half of whom were young – learnt the skills to repair and maintain their bicycles.

Local residents and recently arrived refugees in need of inexpensive transportation participate in an urban bike safety course, outfitted with a refurbished bicycle, helmet, lock and lights.

By teaming up with the local public health office, Cycles’ Safe Routes to Schools programme has also helped reinforce the biking message. This has been achieved through a series of 8 hour on-road training courses integrated into the school curriculum as part of the Physical Education classes. The aim here is to provide general safe practices for the school run and general transport around the neighbourhoods. Again, the numbers are impressive: in the last year, over a thousand school kids have received such training, adding to the thousands of others who have gained such cycling confidence in the last 10 years. Bicycles aside, other projects dovetail the environmental aspect too – community gardening and watershed education, for instance.

A bike ride in the Fruitvale district of Oakland.

A bike contest organised by high school students at the Malcolm X Jazz Festival.

A student spray paints her bike in an all-girl bike repair class at a middle school in East Oakland.

In carrying out these projects, Cycles of Change aims to promote the many facets of cycling by “providing opportunities for regular exercise, engaging youth in exciting and enriching outdoor activities, developing sustainable local economies, and lowering carbon emissions.” As a model for cost effective solutions in lower income areas of California, it would seem to be doing just that. Donate a bike  and be a part of this inspiring change.

On the last Friday of every month, in over 325 cities around the world – ranging from London to Rio to New Delhi to Cape Town – a gathering of cyclists takes to the streets: Critical Mass.

As the name suggests, it’s an event that’s all about numbers. The phrase itself was coined in The Return of the Scorcher, a film from the 1980s that documented bike lifestyles and cultures from around the world. According to a Critical Mass founder, “the term comes from Chinese bicyclists being unable to cross an intersection until they achieved sufficient numbers, or critical mass at the intersection to stop traffic.”

Similarly, a large enough shoal of riders can assert its presence on even the most car-clogged city street. The formula for a Critical Mass is a simple one. Cyclists gather at a predetermined location on a particular date of the month, and at a specific time – generally 5.30pm – they set off together at a gentle pace, often to the soundtrack of music blasting from pedal-powered sound systems. The largest regularly draw a thousand or more riders. Tall bikes, long bikes, tandems, trailers… the whole tapestry of cycling life. Some cyclists turn up in costume or decorate their bikes. Others swing by on their way back from work.

A critical mass gathers in Zagreb, Croatia.

Although the ride shuns any association as a political protest, it’s a pronounced reminder to other road users that cyclists exist – and of their rightful place within the city landscape. By reclaiming the roads and creating a safe passageway for riders of all abilities, it’s also a tantalising glimpse into a bike-centric world and the inspiration behind many more formally organised car-free days.

A sound system in Rome.

A celebration of all style of cycling.

The modern rendition of the event dates its origins to San Francisco in 1992, although earlier forms of mass city riding took place in Sweden in the 1970s. In keeping with the spirit of these gatherings, the ride follows a leaderless, consensual model. There’s little by way of formal organisation beyond word of mouth and photocopied flyers. As such, controversy has long surrounded the event, often centred around its legality. Organisers insist cycling en mass is a right and after a spate of arrests in the US for not applying for permits, the courts have generally agreed. More recently though, in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, Critical Mass hit the headlines when a record 182 arrests were made.

The Halloween Critical Mass in San Francisco.

Routes are either decided upon spontaneously, or a course is suggested in advance, depending on the size of the gathering, the nature of the city, or just the whims of the group. And, although instances of antagonism have occurred between cyclists, drivers and the police, for the most part, it’s a peaceful celebration of pedal power and a cyclist’s place on the road – rather than the misconceived notion that the ride sets out solely to inconvenience other road users.

In itself, a Critical Mass won’t necessarily change that much. But teamed with effective bike advocacy, it’s an engaging way to promote cycling, highlight issues salient to cyclists, and create a vibrant sense of community.

When it comes to sustainable mobility, bike-sharing schemes – in which a flotilla of bicycles are available to the public for a short period of time – are increasingly seen as an integral part of successful city planning.

The benefits are threefold. Providing free or affordable access to bicycles within the urban environment helps ease the strain on congested roads while also creating a more people-friendly environment and cleaner localised air. Plus, there’s the exercise factor too.

Effectively, these bikes become a public service, just like the bus or metro. In fact, such schemes often feed into other public transit networks, such as the Last Mile concept where cycling plays a piece within the jigsaw of a longer journey. The bulk of the bicycles are used for commuting duties, though in popular cities they’re increasingly borrowed by tourists too; in the UK, for instance, the London 2012 Olympic Games saw a record 47, 105 bicycle trips made in a single day aboard the British capital’s distinctive Barclays Bikes.

Reflecting this bike-sharing revolution, numbers are growing fast. At the last tally, there were some 493 schemes of varying sizes dotted around the planet. This represents a significant growth since 2007, when there were a mere 68 globally. Vying for the claim of the largest is the heaving metropolis of Hangzhou, China. There, some 69,700 bicycles are parked across the city in 2965 stations, with plans to practically triple this number by 2020. Dwarfing any similar scheme outside of China, a quarter million people are said to use its bikes daily.

Just a few of the 69,700 bikes in the world’s largest bike sharing scheme. (Copyright Paytung Chung)

Outside of China, it’s Paris’ Vélib – short for Bicycle Freedom – that boasts the largest numbers; a scheme in which over 20,000 bikes are spread throughout the French capital at 300m intervals. Despite early logistical teething issues and a spate of thefts (bikes have turned up as far away as North Africa), Vélib – funded by mega advertising company JCDecaux – is seen as a definitive success and the inspiration for the likes of London, as well as the other schemes it implements.

Paris’ Vélib is the largest scheme outside of China, and the blueprint for many worldwide programmes. (Copyright Phillippe Berdalle)

On the subject of funding, methods vary: public, private or a combination of the two. In the case of JCDecaux, each of its 20+ rental schemes around the world is paid for by a local advertising operator, in return for a 10 year license on the city’s billboards. Perhaps in this instance, the commercialisation of bicycles is justified by the incentive to make the schemes work financially. The usage fees themselves vary, though typically they’re very affordable, with the first 30 minutes often free. Somewhat surprisingly, London’s membership and access fees are doubling in 2013, money which will be used to invest in cycling and cycle safety projects. At £2 a day, it’s still considerably cheaper than the tube though.

Despite its success, membership and access fees for London’s Cycle Hire are doubling for 2013, though the first 30 minutes remains free.

Other notable bike sharing programs include Barcelona’s Bicing (paid in part by car parking tickets), which it’s claimed has helped cut 9,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ in the city. Cities with harsh winters, such as Denver, Boston and Montreal, tend to mothball their bicycles until spring. Boston’s bike share scheme was launched in 2011, with 600 bikes operating out of 60 stations, while Denver’s, the first in the States, compliments its shared bicycles with 358 miles of recommended bike routes. There, 43% of users said they replaced car trips with bikes rides. To tackle the problem of theft, its bikes are even equipped with GPS and radio frequency tags, but the $1000 penalty fee should be deterrent enough for bikes that aren’t returned within 48 hours.

Barcelona’s Bici scheme.

After some initial scepticism, its bike have now been embraced wholeheartedly by the city, to the extent that there was an outcry when a sharp increase in fees was planned.

A swipe of the card releases one of the bikes from the pound. The first 30 minutes are free.

Also making the most of technology, Washington DC’s scheme even includes a smartphone app that informs you how many bikes are available where – a dearth of bikes at key locations has often been a cause of complaint in other cities. The Parisian scheme has a similar app that locates you, your closest stations, and what bikes are where. New Yorkers will soon be benefitting too, with as many as 10,000 public use bikes injected into their streets under the Citi Bike scheme.

In fact, a study of the Bike Sharing World Map  reveals healthy clusters around South America, the US, Europe (Spain alone has a 100+), and in as far flung locales as Singapore, Thailand, India, Iran and Azerbaijan – not forgetting distant chips of land like Hawaii and even the Canary Islands. The most recent is Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, which has just kicked off a programme with a hundred bikes, serviced by 10 solar panel stations. From acorns grow oak trees – after all, Hangzhou started with just 2800 bikes to its name, a relatively small number given its colossal 6 million population. As of January 2013, this number had swelled to almost 70,000, accounting for an incredible 94 million journeys annually.

The future of sustainable transport seems to be here.

Keep tabs on all the latest schemes at the Bike-Sharing Blog.

Spring is in the air… And with the longer days it brings comes all the more reason to leave those car keys at home and do more by bike.

Enter Cycle Logistics, a scheme established to encourage the use of cargo bikes amongst businesses and individuals alike.

Running from May 2011 until April 2014 and spanning 12 countries, this EU-funded project aims to “reduce energy used in urban freight transport by replacing unnecessary motorised vehicles with cargo bikes for intra-urban delivery and goods transport in Europe.”

As an organisational body, Cycle Logistics sets out to prompt municipal bodies into creating policies to encourage the use of bicycles and trikes for deliveries, as well as explaining their potential to the transport sector. In cities today, almost all goods transport is carried out by motorised vehicle – invariably light goods are transported over short distances by heavy vehicles, whether these be trucks out on delivery, or individuals using their cars. According to Cycle Logistics, every second trip in urban areas is shorter than 5km, a significant proportion of which could feasibly be covered by bicycle or trike.

Based in Cambridge, Outspoken Delivery is the largest courier company of its kind in the UK, and an advisor to Cycle Logistics.

Larry Vs Harry’s Bullit and a Christiana bike.

As such, Cycle Logistics provides an information pool for both businesses and individuals alike – cycling solutions for everything from commercial deliveries to the school run. It strives to coax people out of their cars, SUVs and vans, and onto their bikes, whatever form they make take. The accompanying website  serves as a database for all things cargo – trailers, trikes, electric assist, even simple baskets and panniers.

Caption: Riese and Muller’s Load, a full suspension, electric assist cargo solution.

Additionally, the scheme supports events such as April’s cargo convergence in Nijimegen, Netherlands. The yearly Bakfiets Treffen  is a meeting of cargo bike owners, producers and designers, providing companies and individuals the chance to test ride over a hundred different models.

Caption: A fleet of Nihola trikes.

The project itself is represented by a number of European organisations. These include FGM-Amor, an Austrian non-profit research, consulting and educational group focusing on mobility management, as well as the European Cyclist Federation, home to the national cyclists’s associations in Europe and the organisers of Velo City . Other advisors include bicycle consultancy company Copenhagenize, and the UK’s CTC , the national cycling charity that works to promote and protect cycling.

The knock on effect of reducing motorised cargo transportation includes a reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ consumption, less congestion and noise levels and – quite literally – more breathing space for city dwellers.

Photos copyright European Cyclists’ Federation, Mikael Colvile-Anderson and Mary Embry.