149

News

Nearly every second Copenhagener cycles to work

Lucie Rychla
May 1st, 2015


This article is more than 9 years old.

The city is getting closer to reaching its ambitious goal – now the hard work begins

Rush hour in Copenhagen (photo: Heb)

Nearly every second Copenhagener chooses to cycle to work or school instead of driving or using public transport, Berlingske reports.

According to a new study, 45 percent of those who have a job or go to school prefer to use their metal horses over getting stuck in traffic in a car.

That is a significant increase compared to 2013, when 41 percent used a bicycle for commuting, and an even bigger increase compared to the 36 percent in 2012.

Room for us all
“The numbers suggest that our interventions are working and it is clear that Copenhageners love to cycle in the capital,” said Morten Kabell, the deputy mayor for technical and environmental issues.

“That said, the growing number of cyclists requires that we invest in new cycling paths and continue expanding the cycling network, so there is enough room for all of us.”

The city’s goal is to get 50 percent of the capital’s population to cycle to work, which would, according to Kabell, require new ideas.

Reaching the stubborn 
“Now comes the hard work of reaching the commuters who are not easily convinced,” Kabell noted.

“Among other, we will look at road pricing, parking policies, the layout of roads and speed zones.”

In 2014, Copenhageners cycled approximately 4.14 billion kilometres.


Share

Most popular

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive The Daily Post

















Latest Podcast

A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”