Cycling in Berlin - © Markus Winninghoff (https://www.flickr.com/people/mompl/)

On 19 February, German ECF member organisation ADFC presented the 6^th edition of its “cycling climate survey” on cycling conditions in German towns and cities. With over 100,000 participants, it is the largest study of its kind worldwide. Like in the previous survey carried out in 2012, the city of Münster in North-Western Germany was designated as the most cycling-friendly German city with more than 200,000 inhabitants. 

Financial support for the survey was provided by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. State Secretary Rainer Bomba explained why: „My intention is to further improve the framework conditions for cycling together with all stakeholders. Therefore we support ADFC’s 'cycling climate survey' as part of the implementation of the national cycling strategy for 2020. In addition, cycling friendliness is an excellent indicator for the quality of life in a city.”

Award ceremony, © ADFC

Awards were handed out to the cities and towns scoring best in the user survey and to those who improved their rating the most since the last survey. For example, the city of Wuppertal was able to improve its perception among cyclists by transforming an old railway line crossing the city into a flat and comfortable cycle path, making cycling substantially more attractive in the otherwise hilly terrain.

However, the survey also showed that there is a clear need for improvement in important areas. The most relevant topic is probably subjective safety, where the average mark was not more than just above the pass level. Grades were even worse for problems like cars parking illegally on cycle lanes, inconvenient phasing of traffic lights, lack of winter maintenance for cycling infrastructure or dangerous traffic layout for cyclists at road construction sites.

Münster, Germany's most cycling friendly larger city - © https://www.flickr.com/people/dandelion-and-burdock/

ADFC’s president Ulrich Syberg made a strong call for actions to solve these issues: “If even committed cyclists say that they don’t feel safe on our streets, our alarm bells are ringing. We know from international studies that perceived safety is the decisive factor determining if people will use their bike rather than their car. Everyone who wants to increase cycling will have to start with improvements on this point.”

During the presentation, ADFC also pointed out a number of solutions for a better urban cycling climate: More 30 km/h zones, more comfortable and easily recognisable cycling infrastructure with winter maintenance, better planning for cycle traffic layout at working sites and more resolute law enforcement against cars parking on cycle lanes.

Find out more about the results here (in German).