Radverkehr in Kopenhagen

Bicycle rush hour in Copenhagen, where 37% of the population ride their bikes each day.

Cycling in Copenhagen is an important means of transportation and a dominating feature of the cityscape, often noticed by visitors. The city offers a variety of favorable cycling conditions — dense urban proximities, short distances and flat terrain — along with an extensive and well-designed system of cycle paths. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most—possibly the most—bicycle-friendly city in the world.

Every day 1.3 million km are bicycled in Copenhagen, with 36% of all citizens commute to work, school or university by bicycle Cycling is generally perceived as a healthier, environmentally friendly, cheaper and often quicker way around town than those by public transport or car and it is therefore municipal policy that this number should go up to 40% by 2012 and 50% in 2015.

In recognition of Copenhagen's emphasis on bicycling, the city has been chosen by the Union Cycliste Internationale as their first official Bike City. Bike City Copenhagen will take place from 2008 to 2011 and consists of big cycling events for professionals as well as amateurs.

History

Bicycles became common in Copenhagen at the beginning of the 20th century. The first separate cycle paths were established around The Lakes in 1910, when the existing bridle paths were converted into isolated cycleways to accommodate the heavy growth in cycling around that time. In the 1920s and 1930s the popularity increased even further. As a spectator sport, six-day racing became popular in the 30s, the first race was held in 1934 in the original Forum Copenhagen and its popularity topped in the 60s.

During World War II, petrol was strictly rationed, making cycling even more important as a means of transportation. During the 1940s the first recreational bicycle routes were also developed, through green spaces in the periphery of the municipality.

Starting in the 1960s, Copenhagen experienced a decline in utility cycling due to increasing wealth and affordability of motor vehicles. With the energy crisis and the growing environmental movement in the 1970s, cycling experienced a renaissance.

Although the first separate cycle paths were constructed much earlier, they did not become the norm until the early 1980s. On June 4, 1983 the Danish Cyclists' Union, at a large bicycle demonstration, gave a "Cyclist Award" to Jens Kramer Mikkelsen in the form of a two metre long curb. Mikkelsen was the head of the traffic department and later Lord Mayor. The curb was placed on the bike lane on Amagerbrogade at the corner of Hollænderdybet. In the mid 1980s, Copenhagen also began to develop its first coordinated strategies for increasing cycling in the municipality. From 1995 the City commenced to monitor cycling within the city and cycling has been on the rise ever since, from 1995 to 2004 increasing with 41%.

Infrastructure

Typical Copenhagen cycle path on Vesterbrogade, Vesterbro

Cycle paths

Copenhagen has an extensive network of cycle paths which sometimes have their own signal systems. There are around 350 km of cycle paths, separated from the car lanes as well as the pavement by kerbs, while there are another 20 km of on-road cycle lanes, marked by a broads painted line. Currently there are 41 km of greenways in Copenhagen. In junctions, the continuation of the cycle path or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue-painted band to increase visibility.

Greenways

The City of Copenhagen is also developing a system of interconnected green bicycle routes, greenways, with the aim to facilitate fast, safe and pleasant bicycle transport from one end of the city to the other. The network will cover more than 100 km and consist of 22 routes when finished. Currently there are 41 km of greenways in Copenhagen.

Integration

Cycling is integrated into Copenhagen's S-train network, which is operated by DSB. Bicycles are permitted on S trains to facilitate mixed-mode commuting. They go in specified carriage found at the rear end of the trains.

Bicycles are also permitted on the city's water buses, known as the Copenhagen Harbour Buses, but can temporarily not be brought on Route 904. Bicycles cannot be carried on regular bus services.

Public bicycles

City Bike, Copenhagen

Copenhagen has a system of public bicycles, referred to as Bycykler (English: City Bikes). Launched 1995, this scheme was the first large-scale urban bike share program featuring specially-designed bikes with parts that could not be used on other bikes. Riders pay a refundable deposit at one of 100 special bike stands and have unlimited use of a bike within a specified area. The scheme is funded by commercial sponsors. In return, the bikes carry advertisements, which appear on the bike frame and the solid-disk type wheels.

Utility cycling

Several companies operate bicycle rickshaws and velo taxis in Copenhagen. They offer similar advantages to passengers travelling a mile or three, and their novelty attracts tourists including those seeking a guided tour of the city centre. Another common phenomenon is Bicycle messengers.

Various enterprises sell coffee or soup from mobile tricycle stalls around the city centre.

Since March 1, 2009, Copenhagen has had police patrolling on bicycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens. Other professions to use cycling in their everyday work in Copenhagen include postmen and municipal supportive home caretakers.

Municipal bicycle policy

Targets

The City of Copenhagen has formulated a Cycle Policy 2002-2012, stating the following targets:

• the proportion of people cycling to workplaces in Copenhagen shall increase from 34% to 40%
• cyclist risk of serious injury or death shall decrease by 50%
• the proportion of Copenhagen cyclists who feel safe cycling in town shall increase from 57% to 80%
• cyclist travelling speed on trips of over 5 km shall increase by 10%
• cycling comfort shall be improved so that cycle track surfaces deemed unsatisfactory shall not exceed 5%

Initiatives

To reach the targets set, the City of Copenhagen employ a number of measures, seeking to make cycling an even more attractive option.

New cycle paths & greenways

Copenhagen's network of cycle paths is continuously being extended. A plan from 2006 has a prioritized list of new paths to be constructed in the period 2006-16. In the same time the city's network of greenways, still in its infancy, will be developed, aiming at increasing traveling speed over longer distances while in the same time improving safety and comfort.

New bridges

A number of new pedestrian and cycle bridges across the main harbour as well as canals are planned, to make for more direct routes, increasing overall traveling speed and improving safety. Recently completed new such bridges include Bryggebroen across the harbour, connecting Vesterbro and Islands Brygge, and Åbroen over the heavily used artery Åboulevarden. Planned bridges a new bridge across the harbour as well as a number of smaller bridges across canals, which will improve access to Christianshavn and in particular Holmen. Another planned pedestrian and cycle bridge, to be designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, will cross the southern mouth of Christianshavn Canal, facilitating passage along the waterfront.

Improved bicycle parking

A number of projects have been launched to ease Copenhagen's notorious shortage of bicycle parking spaces, particularly at transport hubs. These include plans for 2,500 new bicycle spaces, placed sunken 'bicycle beds' in connection with a refurbishment of Nørreport Station and an architectural competition for a new 7,000 bicycle parking facility above the rail tracks at Central Station, due to open in 2013.

Anti-bike theft chips

To combat an increasing problem with bike thefts, the City of Copenhagen has entered into a cooperation with the Technical University of Denmark to develop a scheme for tracking of stolen bikes by Global Positioning System. A RFID chip is applied to bicycles and parking attendants carry GPS-equipped RFID scanners which will send an e-mail with the location to the owner if a bicycle is registered as stolen. 5,000 chips have been handed out free of charge in a pilot project.

Influence

Copenhagen's well-developed bicycle culture has given rise to the term ‘copenhagenize’. This is the practice of other cities adopting Copenhagen-style bike lanes and bicycle infrastructure. An example of a city which has introduced bike lanes with inspiration from Copenhagen is Melbourne, where they are referred to as 'Copenhagen lanes'. In 2007 Copenhagen-based Danish urban design consultant Jan Gehl was hired by the New York City Department of Transportation to re-imagine New York City streets by introducing designs to improve life for pedestrians and cyclists. In this connection, Gehl took NYC planning chief Amanda Burden and transportation czar Janette Sadik-Khan on a bike trip around Copenhagen to show them what could be done for New York. The British transport minister Andrew Adonis has also cycled the streets of Copenhagen in search of inspiration.

Regular events

• Danmark Rundt, the national Danish stage race finishes with laps of Frederiksberg Allé in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.
• Rundetårn Unicycle Race, every year in spring, a unicycle race is held in the tower's its 7.5-turn helical corridor. The contestants have to go up and down the Rundetårn. The world record, set in 1988, is 1 minute and 48.7 seconds.
• Copenhagen by bicycle, excursions arranged by the Museum of Copenhagen

External links

• Video of bicycle ride in Copenhagen
• Vintage footage of Copenhagen cycling culture anno 1937
• Cycling map of Copenhagen
• Cycle Chic from Copenhagen - The Original. Streetstyle and Bike Advocacy in High Heels
• Copenhagenize.com - The Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog