Groupe Chronos

Hai voluto la bicicletta? e allora pédala! (You wanted the bike? Now you pedal!) This mischievous Italian expression signifies a commitment from which we cannot retreat. In addition, the sponsors of the study Cycling Mode Assets concluded: stop procrastinating and quicken the shift from talking about doing something to actually doing something! The bike has now proven its future in the city. In 2004, Brigitte Le Brethon, who was commissioned by the government, recommended 10% of in urban travel to be done by cycling. It seemed crazy then! Several demonstrations of free service bicycles later, and it is not only realistic, but also possible and necessary.

The Goal is...

... realistic in a city dense and irrigated by other travel options. The bike has its place in this city because it has grown to become part of a whole, fully inserted into its system of mobility; it articulates walking, the car, and public transportation.

... possible, the field of potential cyclists is rich in opportunity. The distance between home and work for half of workers today is less than 7.9 kilometers, in other words a commute of between 15 and 30 minutes by bike. (This is the average distance per trip on Vélib'). Of these trips made exclusively by bike, we need to add at least a part of the trip for workers who live farther away, thus consolidating the population of workers concerned.

... to reach a credible threshold that will mobilize users, stakeholders, and authorities around the necessary urban developments and that will create a favorable connection between modes of transportation. They are listed below, supported by the views of cyclists and non-cyclists.

Cycling in Active Mode

Distinct from walking and the sense of "slow mode," the bicycle is a mode of transportation in its own right and a suitable tool. It will only be used if you can park it, find it, and get rid of it everywhere: at home, at work, close to places in your life or activities. Parking in or near places of transportation (railway stations, parking lots, stations, etc.) is a strong incentive to play with a variety of modes of transportation for the same route. Parking, say users and non-users, is the pillar of the system. We need parking across the city. Proximity is the absolute advantage of the bicycle.

This is the first challenge for authorities and stakeholders in the city.

The bike will only be used if the land use and speed controls make possible the coexistence between walking, biking, and motorized modes. Vast differences in speed make pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable. The friction between the modes of transportation is reflected in figures. One pedestrian out of two, and two cyclists out of three declare feeling "bothered" or "uncomfortable" by other modes of travel. Pedestrians and cyclists also interfere with other modes - to each his own! Friction, inherent in a dense urban setting, will increase the proliferation of ways to be together, to intersect, to overlap. But for new situations, we need a new diagnosis, and we have it! Whatever mode is enabled, there is always a majority of urban dwellers who favor pedestrians and cycling over cars and motorized bikes. The toolkit exists for a development and regulation of space conducive to new relationships. The bike, with Vélo'v and Vélib' and all their local declinations, incites us to rethink the sharing of public space on the basis of complementary rather than competitive modes.

We also know that a virtuous circle is formed: little by little as the proportion of cycling as transportation grows, the bicycle-related accidents are reduced. The paradox is that cycling and walking, combined with the complexity of the city, facilitate organization.

The second challenge involves bicycle routes and shared lanes, networks of public bicycles, and the first steps of a "Rules of the Road," which were taken this summer.

A System of Travel

The bike is part of a system of travel. It combines, cyclists say, public transportation, walking, and cars. It is a necessary option. On the other hand, the cyclist needs alternatives ... when it rains, for example, say cyclists and non-cyclists, riders are largely deterred by the weather. The bike has even more advantages if we can replace it at short notice. Redundancy is the cornerstone of a real choice between modes of transportation, a guarantee of autonomy for the users and a promise of free and sustainability mobility.

The third challenge is for all operators of urban mobility.

The bike, of course, requires a physical effort. In return, the benefits increase, starting with health. Everyone walking and/or cycling for an hour a day would virtually solve the social security deficit. (Imagine that's all it would take!) This would result in economic benefits to the community as well because the little chunk of public space used produces neither pollution nor congestion. There is a direct benefit to household budgets for both walking and cycling; it's an essential argument at the moment when purchasing power is eroding. "Cycling promotes travel of more people in town," say at least two thirds of urban respondents and almost 90% of cyclists. The bike, "amplifier of mobility," is a challenge for city dwellers in their travel strategies.

The fourth challenge for authorities is to provide the necessary encouragement.

The bicycle is not a privilege of the "bobo" population (bourgeois bohème) that anyone is able to define - nor that of any age group. The electric-assisted bicycle, which we hear more and more talk of, does more to mitigate the efforts of those who are in favor of them, and that excludes neither the riders of public transportation nor automobile drivers. The bicycle has long been the most popular way of getting around. It has now become the most efficient option for many journeys. It is often faster than motorized modes where only the speedometer displays an unrealized potential for extravagant speeds. To do this, we must rethink the city, its roads, its civilities as well as information offered about mobility.

This is another challenge for the authorities - the fifth.

Information is Half of Mobility

It is a final challenge and a necessary condition for the bicycle's mass usage. Information about the practice of cycling (navigation routes, parking, options for exchange...) either about the benefits or services, which are related to the bike are indispensable, cheap, and very profitable. Therefore, it's the entire device of its accessibilities and its intelligences, which is called "mobilities." Walking and cycling are only a part, but whose leveraging effect can transform the city. If the prospect of 10% of trips by bike is realistic, remember that this share is greater than one-third of the trips made in Copenhagen, Denmark, in Freiburg, Germany and in many Dutch and Japanese cities. This was even true in Paris and in many French cities - at least before the war. With ambition, it could be possible once again!

A collaboration between: Club des Villes cyclables, JCDecaux, Prospective RATP, Vinci Park, and Groupe Chronos. Translated by: Kathryn Teissier du Cros

You can see a detailed overview of the study "Bikes in Active Mode" (Vélo en Mode Actif), where all the arguments developed in this manifesto are explained. Vélo en Mode Actif was funded by the Ministry of Transportation, at the following address: http://www.villes-cyclables.org. Read the article in French: Place Publique - Six défis pour le vélo. Marche à suivre.