You are the Vehicle of the Future
When we think about reducing transportation emissions, three ideas that often come to mind are using public transport, electric or hybrid cars or perhaps less often, buying carbon offsets for air travel. But what about human-powered transport? Despite the numerous benefits, it's probably the most overlooked solution for urban mobility. Now is time to give human-powered transport, specifically cycling, the attention it deserves.
Cycling offers a multitude of benefits for urban transportation. For cities, it can save a significant amount of money. For every £1 spent on cycling infrastructure, cities can save a total of £25 across health care, traffic congestion, and improved air quality. Furthermore, cycling lanes can move 40% more people and occupy only a third of the road space that cars use.
Cycling also excels in speed and efficiency. When you include traffic and parking, the average speed of cycling in cities is 15 km/h, compared to just 10 km/h in a car. Choosing a bike over a car just once a day can also reduce an average citizen's carbon emissions from transport by 67%. The additional benefit of hopping on a bike and pedalling with your legs, is a clear improvement of your personal health. Just a few minutes of cycling every day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 45% and the risk of depression by 30%.
Major Cities around the world are beginning to recognize the potential of human-powered transport and investing heavily in cycling infrastructure. The city of London will lead this transition by investing £770 million over the next five years to ensure safe passage for cyclists, including two cycling super-highways. Paris plans to invest €250 million to add 180 additional km of cycling lanes and intends to close down most of the inner city to cars by 2024 for the Olympics. New York City will invest $289 million annually to complete the 350-mile greenway plan in what is being dubbed the "NYC bike boom."
It's time to recognize that human-powered transport is one of the unseen heroes of urban mobility. Investing in cycling infrastructure and promoting human-powered transportation as a solution for sustainable urban mobility can help reduce carbon emissions and pollution, save money, and improve personal health and well-being. The next time you think about urban transportation, don't forget to include the humble bicycle in the mix.