"Bikes are the talk of the
town these days, and for good reason. Their renewed surge in popularity has
been immense. Italy has recently recorded that
bike sales have outstripped car sales for the first time since World War II;
the number of commuter cyclists in new York has doubled over the last five
years; and for the first time in decades, a London borough (Hackney) has recorded that more people cycle to work (15%) than drive (12%). But all of
this isn’t just a fad. To prove my point, I’d like to give you a brief snapshot
of some of the amazing things happening across the globe in terms of bicycle
infrastructure…
"Since you’re reading the
Europe section of Trending City, I’d better start with the UK…
"London mayor Boris Johnson last week announced that the city will invest
about £1 billion into cycling infrastructure over the next decade
(with most being spent in the next few years). Yep, £1 billion! That’s a lot of
money. So what’s actually happening? In addition to further investment into the
Barclays Bikes Scheme (‘Boris Bikes’), 80,000 new cycle parking spaces are to
be added, new cycle routes will be built, public pumps will be installed, junctions
will be redesigned and signage improved.
"And perhaps the most exciting thing in
my opinion is investment into new Cycle Superhighways, similar to those in
Copenhagen. These will not only give cyclists the opportunity to cover large
distances at fast speeds without the hassle of private vehicle congestion, but will also
help link up some of London’s more deprived outer boroughs into the inner city
cycling network."
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