Beijing to Become More Bike Friendly in Dutch-Chinese Collaboration

Although Beijing’s streets may appear to be full of bikes, not enough people are cycling for the city to achieve sustainable mobility (confirmed by anyone who has ever tried to drive somewhere during rush hour). That's why the ‘Beijing Bicycle Strategy and Policy', a project funded by the Asian Development Bank, has now been put forward.

The plan involves raising Beijing’s bicycle share of transportation to at least 20 percent in 2020, compared to 14 percent in 2012. In 1986 this number was a whopping 63 percent, so it is no surprise that Beijing used to be known as one of the bicycle capitals of the world. 

The Dutch Embassy states that three companies have presented the plan: Ecofys (a leading renewable energy consultancy), Royal HaskoningDHV (an international engineering and project management consultancy), and the China Academy of Transportation Sciences (CATS).

These organizers have studied the underlying causes behind Beijing’s declining bicycle use, and have created recommendations for Beijing. Wim van der Wijk, team leader and bicycle transport expert at Royal HaskoningDHV said: “Our vision for Beijing includes high quality bicycle routes and parking facilities, upgrading and extending the public bicycle sharing system, more trip destinations within bike-able distances and integration of cycling with a high quality public transport system for commuting.” However, van der Wijk also recognizes the challenge of changing cultural beliefs and the tendency for cars to symbolize status. 

Hopes are that Beijing will return to its former bike-haven glory, and make it onto the top of the Copenhagenize Index, which looks to identify cities that have the most positive cycling atmosphere, and are the most bicycle friendly. We certainly believe it doesn't have that far to go – minus the mental taxi drivers and near run-ins with buses – cycling in Beijing is fairly pleasant, as far as cycling in big cities goes.

As of 2013, Copenhagenize’s data put Amsterdam (Netherlands), as the number one bicycle friendly city, with Copenhagen (Denmark), in second place, and Utrecht, also in the Netherlands, in third. It’s rankings are created using 13 categories, which includes the level of advocacy present, bicycle culture, bicycle facilities, bicycle infrastructure, whether or not a bike-sharing program exists, the gender split, and the perception of safety etc.

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Photo: bikeshare.com