This is the last instalment of the bike-sharing trilogy for Living Green Magazine.
My first bicycle article looked at three world cities that have successfully implemented popular bike-sharing programs. The second article reviewed cities in the U.S. and Latin America that have notable biking infrastructure. This third and final article in the series looks at programs in Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa.
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EUROPE
European cities are the pioneers of the movement, and there are numerous successful and popular programs across the continent, and in every major city in Germany and France, each with a unique arrangement.
Copenhagen, Denmark, the epitome of a bike-friendly city, has the largest bike network in the world. Almost everything in the city is geared towards bike safety and raising eco-consciousness of residents and visitors, thus encouraging cycling.
Although, according to the European Green City Index, only 36% of Copenhagen citizens use the bike as primary means of transportation, the city is planned for cyclists: well-designed and managed cycling tracks, even, dense but compact urban terrain, well-balanced residential, commercial and business areas, and an attractive biking culture.
The diminishing use of other mass public transit methods, and especially private car use, and the related infrastructure, are important indicators of bike’s increased popularity. View full article »
