After weeks of discussions on transport proposals in the run up to the elections, the potential of cycling was hugely overlooked. Today is World Bicycle Day, a celebration of a smart, healthy and fast way of getting around. Malta could take inspiration from existing infrastructure to rethink its approach to transport.
Malta’s average commute is just 6 km, which provides a lot of opportunity for cycling. For example, using an (e-)bike could halve the time wasted in traffic, taking just 20 minutes.
Cities across Europe which invested in safe cycling infrastructure have seen less congestion, cleaner air, healthier communities and more efficient urban mobility. There are three significant examples of what cities have achieved by promoting cycling through concrete measures.
The city of Seville (Spain) increased the length of the protected network of cycling lanes from just 12 km to almost 170 km within 5 years, leading to a 5-fold increase in trips made by bicycle, from 13,000 to 72,000 bike trips per day.
In Paris (France) the mayor set out on an ambitious plan to reduce air pollution, provide safe space for pedestrians and cyclists and create a more liveable city. The impacts of Plan Velo have been clear: in a 5 year timespan bicycle traffic counters recorded a 240% increase in the number of cyclists.
Brussels (Belgium) was notorious for being a car-centric city. Their ‘Good Move’ transport plan which introduced a 30 km/h speed limit and improvements to cycling infrastructure, had impressive impacts after just a year – traffic fatalities and crashes dropped considerably and cycling in the morning peak increased by 23%.
These results converge on a clear message: it is possible to change transport behaviour within a few years, when a safe, connected network is created.
