Cycling Policy – For the First Time
In 2002, Copenhagen Municipality launched its inaugural comprehensive cycling policy, “Cykelpolitik 2002-2012,” marking a strategic shift toward enhancing transport quality for cyclists through safety, comfort, speed, and overall appeal. The policy sets bold quantitative targets, such as increasing the cycling-to-work share from 34% to 40%, halving accident risks, and boosting perceived safety from 57% to 80%, implemented across nine action areas like bike lanes, green routes, and parking. Backed by biennial “Cycling Accounts” for monitoring progress, this initiative has solidified Copenhagen’s reputation as a global cycling leader amid rising bike usage.
Background
Copenhagen’s cycling policy emerged as the city bucked national trends, with bike traffic growing while declining elsewhere in Denmark—one-third of residents already cycled to work. Planners Niels Jensen and Maria Helledi Streuli from the Municipality’s Road & Park Office emphasized a holistic approach beyond just building paths along roads, focusing on “transport quality” encompassing safety, security, travel speed, health, comfort, and user experience to make cycling competitive with cars and public transit.
Key targets included:
- Raising workplace cycling from 34% to 40%.
- Reducing cyclist injury/death risk by 50%.
- Increasing the share feeling safe cycling from 57% to 80%.
- Improving average speed on trips over 5 km by 10%.
- Ensuring no more than 5% of bike paths have poor surfacing.
Nine action areas guide implementation: bike lanes and reinforced tracks, green cycling routes, inner-city improvements, bike-public transit integration, parking facilities, signalized intersection upgrades, path maintenance, cleaning, and awareness campaigns. The “Cycling Accounts,” starting in 1995 and issued biennially, track cyclist satisfaction (e.g., 45% content with maintenance in 2002), key metrics like infrastructure length (323 km of paths), and policy-specific indicators. Challenges noted included capacity strains on busy paths (3-5 km affected), parking shortages near stations, and maintenance needs, despite high overall satisfaction—nearly 80% rated Copenhagen as a good cycling city.
Surveys revealed that while most current cyclists were content, non-cyclists (especially car users) cited safety fears as a barrier, underscoring the need for solutions that deliver both actual and perceived security. Campaigns like “Cycle to Work” and “Eco-Week” aimed to convert skeptics by letting them experience cycling’s benefits.
Future Outlook
The 2002-2012 policy laid foundational groundwork for Copenhagen’s ongoing cycling dominance, influencing global best practices in sustainable urban mobility. By 2012 and beyond, the city surpassed many targets, with cycling shares exceeding 50% in some areas, advanced infrastructure like superhighways, and integrated e-bike parking—trends accelerated by post-policy expansions. As cities worldwide tackle climate goals, Copenhagen’s model highlights the value of data-driven policies and continuous monitoring, potentially inspiring updated strategies amid rising e-bike adoption and post-pandemic cycling booms.