British Cycling policy adviser Chris Boardman visits Copenhagen, the world’s best cycling capital city, to experience for himself the effect of the Danish city’s impressive commitment to cycling.
we’ve been told that Copenhagen is the cycling capital of the world so we thought we’d come and have a look and see what it’s all about tell you one thing they’re not short to bikes within moments of stepping off the train from the airport it was clear that things were done differently here nothing glamorous complicated or fancy in fact all the same ingredients as the UK cars pedestrians bikes and public transport even the trains linking the surrounding municipalities of whole carriages dedicated to those that want to perhaps take the train to work and ride the 20 km home cycling and walking have been truly integrated and most importantly they’ve been made the easiest solution when people arrive at the school station shop or restaurant they have space to park up for free right out outside despite legislation that reinforces the hierarchy it doesn’t feel like anyone needs to be compelled because are though busy there’s almost no friction between cars and people the city’s inhabitants like the arrangement and why wouldn’t they it’s noticeably quieter than any UK City never mind a capital and those in cars have more space because most people are either walking or riding to their destination more than 50% of the people on bikes here are women double that of the UK and children children are a common sight more than 50% of them ride to school every day just moving around a handful of kilometers a day the people here burn an extra 300 calories without even thinking about it over a year that adds up to a hefty 2.5 stones in weight as a result obesity is 133% almost half that of the UK which isn’t surprising as a nation less than half of Journeys here are made by car and in Copenhagen you can tell the difference the Earth feels cleaner by cycling The Cutting CO2 production by an estimated 90,000 tons a year well we’ve had a bit of a trip around we’ve had a look and we told we were told this was the city of bikes well I haven’t seen a single cyclist I’ve Just Seen normal people getting about I’ve seen families getting to school I’ve seen people going to work and go the shops just using this simple tool that answers so many of our problems
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Why did you choose Copenhagen, when the Netherlands is the world's best cycling country, and Groningen is the world's best cycling city?
Every transport secretary and their minions should be forced to do 2 days on a bike over there along with council members, especially the fucktards at Essex county Council.
on another thought, we should organise a week where nobody rides to work, everyone get in their cars/train in protest. Lets see how many days it takes for them to rapidly change their minds.
There is an amazing historic far reaching international net work connecting every place on earth, its called roads, it is the best place to ride a bike…. however there are too many motorists who don't want to share this resource, even thou we all pay for roads out of central government tax
Yes, biking is nice and healthy, and dont forget, some of the best bikeriders are from britain like Cav and Wiggo.
Much of the footage is not at all from Copenhagen, it's shot in Malmö, Sweden (green city buses, road signs in Swedish etc.)
One QUITE important thing regarding the difference in obesity, in Denmark we dont feed our children junkfood in school. No amount of cycling can make up for deep fried crap.
Why are five clips/photos not take in Copenhagen but in Malmö, Sweden?
0:30 – Triangeln, Malmö
0:47 – SegevÃ¥ng, Malmö
1:20 – Värnhem, Malmö
1:50 & 1:54 – Close to Ribban, Malmö
A simple means to get around but very effective none the less.
a good ambassador for using cycles
Funny, this was published after the piece on Utrecht. Finally he got it, you do not use a 'Tour de France' bike when you travel to shops.
UK is full of obese morons who need to burn calories rather than oil…85-90% of vehicle journeys are necessary.
2.20-2.23: 'I haven't seen a single cyclist. Just normal people getting about'. That phrase tells everything about cycling in København (Copenhagen), what is as normal and common as in the Netherlands… Greetings from a Dutchman.
i agree…more use of a bike for your daily trips
And nothing has changed in the uk in 2018 what a waste of a trip
Copenhagen? You should have tried Amsterdam. The difference between the two is almost as stark and the difference between Copenhagen and London, or New York. Amsterdam is simply the worlds more bicycle friendly city in the world. While Copenhagen has done a lot, and by the rest of the worlds standards it seems like a bicycling paradise, it pails in comparison.
vickings on bikings 😉
Old video, but the message remains the same: It's a simple tool, that answers so many of our 'difficult' questions regarding personal health, the environment & traffic congestion. I'm taking part in a Cycling-Demo tomorrow in Munich (Germany) to promote better cycling infrastructure here: 10,000 cyclists expected. Thanks to Chris for his tireless commitment to cycling as a 'normal' mode of transport for all.
Many clips are from Malmö, Sweden. Not Copenhagen, Denmark. So much for authenticity i suppose…
You forgot to luck the bike !
Uk should be a shamed. Especially its motorists who doesnt care about other road users.
The title cycling capital of the world is kind of ignorant and basically not true at all ….. you are doing well but you are not even coming close to every single dutch city or village.
Thank-you Chris.
I would love London to be like this, sadly drivers would have non of it.