Scheinherr (Prague itself): The share of cyclists in transport is constantly increasing in the capital
12.03.2022 16:02 | Press Release
More and more people are traveling in the metropolis by bike or similar means. The number of cyclists has increased significantly since 2019, by approximately 73%.
Description: Adam Scheinherr, Deputy Mayor m of Prague
At least once a month, every second adult (up to 456,000 Praguers) rides a bike in Prague. Therefore, Prague plans to further expand cycle paths and backbone cycle routes, inter alia, connecting the capital and the Central Bohemian Region.
Cyclists are still on the rise in Prague, and in the last three years the interest in non-motorized transport has risen by three quarters. According to the Median agency, the number of non-cyclists is also decreasing, ie people who do not ride a bike and do not plan to do so, in total only a third of the population of Prague does not use this transport. In addition, a large number of cyclists cycle more than once a week, and up to 120,000 Praguers cycle once a month. The growing use of e-bikes and electric scooters also helps. The reasons for using the bike include fun, fitness or health. Approximately half of cyclists mention the reasons for the impact on the city’s environment.
“A modern city, where people live and breathe well, supports all modes of transport, including cycling. The development of the number of cyclists in Prague speaks for itself. Praguers want to be able to travel around the city by bike or use the bike as a leisure activity. We respond to this development and take into account the operation of cyclists not only by building separate trails, but also by various safety measures in operation, “says the Deputy Mayor of Prague. Adam Scheinherr adds: “Thanks to the new legislation, drivers will have to overtake a cyclist with a distance of 1.5 meters. However, if the cyclist rides, for example, in a bicycle lane, the driver does not have to follow this. It helps everyone. The budget for non-motorized transport has been increasing in recent years and the infrastructure is also equipped with subsidies provided to city districts that are interested in supporting cycling and walking. ”
Therefore, Prague also updated the General Development of Cycling Routes, which dealt with the city management this week. It responds to the city districts both to the cooperation with the demand for safe routes and to the development and changes in the territory. Significant changes include, for example, the extension of the system of superior routes by radials A4 (connecting Chodov with the center via Pankrác), A8 (connecting Hostavice, Malešice and Žižkov), and the semi-circular route A7 (Hlubočepy – Krč – Strašnice – Hrdlořezy – Hloubětín). In the future, the extension will also cover part of the existing routes (A3 on the border of Prague, A5 to Krč). The addition also includes approximately 20 missing connections to the Central Bohemian Region or between individual city districts and districts, such as connections in housing estates (Lhotka, Jižní Město, Prosek, Ďáblice, Řepy) and outside the city center (Řeporyje, Hanspaulka, Hostavice and the surrounding area).
Research has shown that investment makes sense, and with it the barriers and concerns of cyclists are slowly changing. Concerns about driving in traffic still prevail, but compared to the previous survey in 2019, the public’s main concerns about the lack of measures for cyclists on the road, especially among Regular Users, have declined. This also points to the still high potential for further development of bicycle transport; in my total, 59% of Praguers would regularly use their bikes on their regular journeys to alleviate existing barriers.
- PRAGUE TO ITSELF
- U.S. mayor of the City of Prague
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author: PV