Copenhagen has been elected the world’s best bike city by Tree Hugger, the world's largest online magazine, not just once but twice in a row.In the following fact sheets you can read more about why and get the facts and numbers. You will also find a list of the relevant people to contact for more information, and picture material to back up the articles.
Copenhageners are the world’s best cyclist
Copenhagen has been named the world’s best city to live in by Monocle, the greenest city in Europe by Siemens and the city with the happiest people by Der Spiegel. And Copenhagen has been elected the world’s best bike city by Tree Hugger, the world's largest online magazine, not just once but twice in a row. The Cycle Secretariat of Copenhagen’s Technical and Environmental Administration is reluctant, though, to claim the credit.
Copenhageners are cycling more than ever
Every day, well over 30,000 Copenhageners cycle along Nørrebrogade, making the street into the most popular cycling street in Europe. But it is not only in Nørrebro that the bike is really popular in the Danish capital. The two-wheeler has already overtaken cars, buses, trains and the metro as Copenhagen's favourite means of transport. 36% of all trips to peoples’ place of work or study in Copenhagen are by bike.
How to Copenhagenize your city
Copenhagen is known worldwide as a city with a strong cycling culture and a fantastic cycling infrastructure. So when traffic planners, architects and journalists speak about Copenhagen inspiring other cities to improve urban living, mobility and environment by promoting cycling, they use the concept of copenhagenizing the city.
Cycling Good Business For Copenhagen
It makes really good business sense to invest in cycle tracks, bike bridges and other infrastructure for cyclists. For every kilometer cycled in Copenhagen, society earns 1.22 kr. Conversely, it costs society 69 cents for every kilometer driven by one of the capital’s drivers. This equation is especially due to the health effects of cycling, which brings money into society's general fund. If we go by bike, we fall sick less frequently and more money comes into the treasury. In Copenhagen alone, the health benefits of cycling total 1.7 bn kr. per year.
The Cargo bike is the Copenhagener’s SUV
Many Copenhageners do not need a car - instead, many have a cargo bike. In fact, more than one in six families with children in Copenhagen owns a cargo bike. Everything from kids, dogs, building materials and much more is transported around town on these wide bicycles.
Cycle Superhighways will get more people on their bikes
10% of commuters in Copenhagen who have to travel between 10 and 15 km to work, choose their bike. Whether you consider this number to be large or small, it does underline the potential for more people to cycle over longer distances. For this reason, it must be made even easier to choose your bike rather than your car when you are cycling into town from further afield. The City of Copenhagen has joined with 17 other municipalities and the Capital Region to create the cycle track’s answer to the motorway: the Cycle Superhighway.
Copenhagen Bicycle Festival
Copenhagen is in a festive mood in connection with hosting the UCI Road World Championships 2011 due to take place on 19-25 September 2011. In order to celebrate
Experience Copenhagen by bike
Join the Cycling Embassy of Denmark’s tour and discover the Danish cycling culture in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg - cycle tracks, cycle-bridges, green routes, public bicycle counters and other cool cycle stuff.
