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Introduction to Cycling in Denmark
Thomas Krag, Consultant in Transport Behaviour
Address: Wilhelm Marstrands Gade 11, DK-2100 København Ø
email: tk@thomaskrag.com, web: www.thomaskrag.com, phone: +45 35 42 86 24
Though cycling is at its highest level during summertime, and young people are using the bicycle most, a substantial amount of cycling is also taking place during autumn and winter, and a significant part of the cyclists are middle-aged or even older than that. Rain and snow does not stop the Danes from cycling, either.
The bicycle is used as a means of transport in about 18% of all trips made in Denmark. Going to work or school as well as shopping and other services are the far most important reasons for using the bicycle. Though also popular for recreational trips, only a minor part of the trips or kilometers cycled in Denmark serve this purpose.
The career as a cyclist starts early. When younger than 6 years children are being transported by their cycling parents in many ways, either on the same bicycle or in a trailer. The parents, then, ideally will train their children in cycling in a safe way and will accompany the children until they have got a sufficient grab on the traffic situation themselves. Children are the most active cyclists in Denmark in terms of trips and kilometres.
Suitable infrastructure for the cyclists is an important element in the Danish bicycle culture.
Parking racks for bikes are seen at all major goals for the bicycle traffic. Especially the stations are a big challenge for the planners, and two level parking racks are often employed.
Bike tracks are found along most busy roads, especially in the urban areas. The traditional Danish cycle track is separated from the road as well as from the pedestrians with a curbstone and a change in level. Even in central urban areas wide cycle tracks can be found. Various solutions apply to secure cyclists against turning cars in intersections, among these blue cycle lanes through the intersections, reset stop lines for cars and shortened cycle tracks resulting in mixed lanes.
Several one way streets have been designed to allow for cycling in both directions, and care is taken to easy cyclist flow also in traffic calmed areas. Part of the infrastructure is designated to the recreational cyclists, employing a special signposting system.
It is today official policy to promote cycling in Denmark. The main reason is that cycling is an environmentally friendly means of traffic which can make a contribution to reducing CO2-emissions. Very positive health effects from cycling will also play an important role in the future.
One could ask whether it is healthy to cycle in an urban atmosphere with a lot of airpollution. Research shows that the bicycle users in practice do not suffer more from the airpollution than the car users. And it also shows, that employees cycling to work in urban areas are much healthier than their non-cycling colleagues. So even though clean air must be healthier than polluted air, the urban atmosphere is not an argument against cycling.
