Danish cycling concerns

[steveindenmark]

I read an article this weekend that the |\\Danish Cycle Union is becoming concerned about the cycling infrastructure in Denmark.

It appears that the number of school children who are cycling to school each day hads dropped to 50%.

The Cycling Union is worried that this will prevent government funding in the future.

I think the concerns may be unfounded as most of our politicians cycle to work as well.

 

[Drago]

And what are the absolute numbers? that mere 50% might actually be more people than ever before.

We don't want raw facts presented in a selective manner. This isn't the BBC. We want informed and balanced analysis presented in an unbiased manner, like in the National Enquirer.

 

[steveindenmark]

And what are the absolute numbers? that mere 50% might actually be more people than ever before.

We don't want raw facts presented in a selective manner. This isn't the BBC. We want informed and balanced analysis presented in an unbiased manner, like in the National Enquirer.

Oh Right. Like thats going to happen I would have to find it, translate it from Danish to English and repost it.

How do you delete a post on here

But the 50% is certainly a drop. If it was a rise, they would not be concerned.

 

[jefmcg]

I think the concerns may be unfounded as most of our politicians cycle to work as well.

Now, maybe, but it's the future they are concerned about. What might happen when this generation of kids is running the country?

 

[mjr]

Oh Right. Like thats going to happen I would have to find it, translate it from Danish to English and repost it.

How do you delete a post on here

But the 50% is certainly a drop. If it was a rise, they would not be concerned.

Lazy f@rk

Danish Cycling Federation, 6th August 2015:

"New study: Solid support for school cycling

New figures from Statistics Denmark show that the population has a great desire for more school cycling. And the popular campaign All Bikes for Children (ABC) is one of the soft measures that have a proven efficacy and which annually creates thousands of new children cyclists. The campaign starts on August 31 and is free for schools to participate.

In today's Denmark bikes almost every second child to school most days. But 25 years ago the figure was up to 70%. The vast majority of adult Danes have experienced childhood freedom and joy in cycling - and today we are also certain that active transport habits play a vital role for children's health, well-being and learning.

Clear desire from the people

The many positive effects of children's school cycling is reflected now in a new study from Denmark Statistics. The study shows that 96 per cent of people want to actively work for more children to again have the opportunity to cycle to school.

"This number is a clear signal that children going cycling is something that is the entire population want. We have not - yet - a strong cycling culture, but it is coming. Families in many places in the country don't have the choice for children to bike to school. Either due to insecure and unsafe routes to school - or because school mergers has made the school journey too long, "says Klaus Bondam, director of Cyclists' Federation.

School Cycling Campaign works

Precisely in order to accommodate the many families who suffer from long distances and unsafe routes to school, have Cyclists' Federation this year expanded the popular All Bikes for Children to include recreational cycling. As something new SFOs are therefore invited to join the campaign, and this year it also points to cycling after school and at weekends.

"We can see that it is not least the so-called 'soft actions' - such the Cyclists' Federation ABC campaign - which has held the hand of children cycling in recent years, "says Klaus Bondam, with reference to a report by COWI, documenting the effect of ABC. Every year this Campaign creates 5000 brand new children cyclists - the equivalent of one student in every class." "

(source PDF with more detail - this is mostly machine translation with Google)

 

[steveindenmark]

Now, maybe, but it's the future they are concerned about. What might happen when this generation of kids is running the country?[/QUOTE

That is what the concern is I think. They like to look ahead.

 

[amasidlover]

Just back from a week in Denmark (Copenhagen specifically) and although the transport infrastructure looked almost exactly like what I'd design from a blank sheet (lots of trams/trains, separate cycle lanes where there is space and mainly cycle / pedestrian only where there isn't, priority to those going straight on etc.) I did notice very few children cycling.

There were lots of children on the back of bikes / cross bar seats / in trailers / in ;cargo'-bikes but tiny numbers actually on their own bikes - they didn't seem to start cycling on the cycling infrastructure until they were large enough for adult sized bikes.

I did wonder if this is because the cycle routes are so much busier and children would not necessarily cycle in a compatible manner; for example my son (7) cycles to school in front of me on quiet roads, but he only maintains 10km/h most of the time which would cause traffic jams in Danish cycle lanes... And when on separate cycle lanes he is rather prone to drifting from side to side without checking whether anyone is about to pass.

So I'm not really sure how/where Copenhagen children learn to cycle...