Successful European projects
The European Federation of Cyclists instigated the ambitious EuroVelo project of creating 12 cycle routes in Europe, with a total length of 65,380 kilometers, of which 21,000 kilometers are already in use. EuroVelo is one indication of how seriously Europe, in particular the northern EU states, are taking cycling as a solution to traffic and environmental problems. There are also many national and local initiatives to promote cycling as a means of transport. The Netherlands already possesses 22,000 kilometers of cycle lanes in its 110,000-kilometer road grid. In Denmark, where bicycles are the second most popular means of transport, the government runs three programs aimed at getting more people out of cars and onto bikes. Copenhagen was the first city to introduce the City Bike system of free bicycles for use downtown. Anyone can use one of the 2,000 bicycles available from 200 locations. Thanks to City Bike, more people are using public transport, solving the traffic problem in Copenhagen’s historic center. Other cities, such as Brussels, Cologne, Lyons and Rennes, have adopted variations of the system.
