What role should bicycles play in the transportation of the future?

This article was originally published in our "Décryptage Mobilité" newsletter. To receive future articles by email as soon as they are published, Subscribe now. By Eloïse Dulac – Consultant

Traditionally associated with recreational activities, cycling is becoming increasingly popular for daily commuting among the French and is the subject of numerous news reports. The vehicle itself is evolving to adapt to users' needs, such as to transport children or carry heavy loads [1]. Bicycles are also becoming electrified to allow riders to cover longer distances, thereby making it easier to adopt cycling even when the route includes steep hills. As the municipal elections approach, the role of cars in cities is being called into question, and Initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution are on the rise. Cycling—particularly electric bicycles—is one of the measures being considered to meet this goal. Some are already predicting a significant increase in sales over the next decade [2]. From the perspective of the environmental footprint, it is worth noting that Electric bikes have batteries that are about 100 times smaller than those in electric cars (0.3 to 0.6 kWh for bicycles, compared with 30 to 100 kWh for cars). The environmental impact of manufacturing is therefore much lower than that of an electric car battery. Emissions resulting from electricity consumption are also incomparably higher with emissions from electric vehicles. Furthermore, electric bicycles—in addition to having a lower carbon footprint—differ from electric cars in that significantly lower emissions of local pollutants (caused by braking, tire friction on the asphalt, etc.) [3]. Finally, for other considerations such as In terms of space usage and traffic congestion, electric bicycles offer many advantages over electric cars, which is itself significantly less carbon-intensive than a gasoline-powered car in France. It is a mode of transportation that is ideally suited for urban travel. However, the potential for bicycle use is not limited to cities. According to a study published by the FNH [4], 50% of French people could make (all or part of) their daily trips by bike. While the proportion is higher in cities, it is by no means zero in less densely populated areas.

Today, there are a number of obstacles standing in the way of widespread adoption of cycling. On this subject, A recent study by B&L Évolution [5] highlights six measures necessary for the development of cycling for urban and suburban use. We have also had the opportunity in this publication to present the findings—which are quite similar—of the report by the Paris en Selle collective [6]. In addition to the infrastructure needed to enable safe bicycle use, The adoption of bicycles depends on the creation of an ecosystem around bicycles, similar to what exists today around cars: rental, maintenance, and storage services, as well as the creation of cycling schools. The growth of bicycle travel does not simply add to existing modes of transportation but questions the dominance of cars and the coexistence of different modes of transportation. The development of new infrastructure must therefore be approached by reevaluating the priority given to each mode of transportation along the various routes. When setting up storage areas, it is also important to consider intermodality—in particular, by facilitating the combined use of bicycles and public transportation. For cycling to truly become a viable mode of transportation for commuting to and from work, communication campaigns must be launched intended for both potential users but also businesses, to encourage them to create conditions conducive to cycling, for example, with secure bike parking spaces, or showers and changing rooms available to cyclists. Cycling therefore seems promising, but its widespread adoption depends on a number of changes that involve both encouraging bicycle use and reducing the incentives for car use.

Sources:

[1] Holland Bikes Blog

[2] eBikeGeneration

[3] Novethic

[4] FNH

[5] B&L Evolution: How Can We Promote Bicycle Use in Our Community?

[6] Carbon 4