GREEN MOBILITY
Greener transportation
benefits everyone
Like many other countries, Denmark is under pressure
to accelerate the advent of new, green methods of transport. Urban areas such as the Capital Region have a lot
to put up with in terms of congestion and pollution.
This is why the Capital Region and the 29 municipalities
in the Region are encouraging more people to leave their
cars behind and go by bus or train, while promoting electric cars on the roads and more two-wheeled users of the
cycle paths. This will reduce congestion and significantly
reduce the environmental and climate impact.
The Capital Region wants to make it easy for the public
and companies to make green, healthy, flexible choices
when it comes to transportation. At the same time, the
Region also regards the development of environmentallyfriendly transport and infrastructure as an opportunity to
create commercial development, innovation and growth.
THE CHALLENGES
The transport sector is one of the biggest carbon emitters.
Roughly a quarter of Denmark’s carbon emissions come
from the transport sector, which single-handedly accounts
for about 65% of the country’s total oil consumption.
Today, the risk of dying of pollution from cars is far
greater than the risk of being killed in traffic, and it is
estimated that, each year, approximately 1,500 people
in the Capital Region die prematurely because of air pollution. By comparison, 34 people died in road accidents
in 2012. Calculations indicate that traffic in the Capital
Region will increase by approximately 8% from 2012 to
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GREEN MOBILITY
2025. Car traffic will account for much of the growth, and
without an effective transport policy to promote cycling
and public transport, climate and environmental problems
will accelerate and create even more congestion on the
roads.
In 2010, residents in the Region wasted 190,000
hours sitting in traffic queues. That costs society around
DKK 10 billion a year.
THE SOLUTIONS
The Capital Region and municipalities will deal with these
challenges as follows:
being a leading electric car region in Europe. For this
reason, a regional electric car secretariat has been
established – “Copenhagen Electric” – to promote the
switch to electric cars.
•
creating more super-cycle paths that cover long
distances along the most direct routes without lots of
stoppages and with an emphasis on safety and
comfort.
•
promoting cycling based on specific knowledge of
cycling in the Capital Region.
•
improving public transport by making public transport
greener, by establishing light railways and by creating
more cohesive links between different forms of transport – e.g. between cycling and public transport.
•
Large-scale testing of
electric bicycles by the
Capital Region’s hospital
staff. The hope is to tempt
them to get out from
behind the wheel and hop
onto their bikes.
By RIE JERICHOW
Photo CLAUS BJØRN LARSEN
Copenhageners have the
wind behind them on
the cycle paths
Every day, the people living in the Capital Region ride a combined total of 3.5 million km by bike
– the equivalent of at least nine cycle trips to the moon! Why is that? Because cycling is a quick,
flexible means of transport that offers fresh air and good exercise. Any other benefits? Yes, cycling
does not cause noise or pollution; it does not produce carbon emissions, and so it contributes
positively to public health and the social economy.
The weekend is almost here, and
Tine Lütgemeier has left the office
where she works as a clerical
assistant at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. Now she must return home to
Mørkhøj, 10 km away. Until recently,
she would jump in her car and make
her way slowly through the rush-hour
traffic, but this is no longer the case!
She is soon on her new bicycle,
trundling home, and she loves it.
“I feel like I’m flying. I cycle every
day in all kinds of weather, and it’s
really great! I used to spend an hour in
my car every morning, partly because
it is so difficult to find a parking space.
And now I don’t have to pay for petrol
or a parking disc,” Tine explains.
It should be noted that she is not
riding just any old bicycle. She has
been able to borrow an electric
bicycle for a three-month trial as part
of the “Test an electric bicycle”
project, in which eight municipalities
and eight hospitals in the Capital
Region are trying to tempt motorists
with a commute of more than 5 km
to their place of work or study to
switch to an electric bicycle.
“As far as I’m concerned, it was
worked. I would never be able to
cover that distance on an ordinary
bike because I have osteoarthritis in
my knees. But now I’m flying!” she
explains.
THE EASIEST MODE OF
TRANSPORT
Tine might not realise it, but thanks
to the electric bicycle, she is now
part of the high statistics documenting in black and white that Copenhagen is one of the world’s leading
cycling cities.
“Here, cycling to work in the
morning is as natural as cleaning my
teeth. You don’t have to be an exercise junkie, eco-warrior or poor. In
Copenhagen, people cycle because
it’s the easiest and quickest way.
You don’t really think about it. And
that’s true of young people, older
people, people from all strata of
society - absolutely everyone,” Marie
Kåstrup explains. Marie is programme
director for of the City of Copenhagen’s cycling programme.
There is tremendous interest from
cities all over the world. They look
to Copenhagen to see how cycling
can be one of the solutions to make
cities better places to live.
“All cities are growing, and we
are travelling more, and over longer
distances. Both trends are experiencing strong growth all over the world.
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GREEN MOBILITY
WHAT?
In 2014, the EU named Copenhagen as the greenest capital
city in the EU – due in no small
part to the fact that more than
half the population of the city
leave the car behind and jump
on their bikes to get to their
place of work or study. The
goal is to be the best cycling
city in the world by 2015.
People living in the whole
Capital Region are very much
involved. People cycle 3.5
million kilometres a day here.
WHO?
The City of Copenhagen, the
Capital Region and 22 outlying
municipalities are working
individually and jointly to
improve conditions for cyclists.
HOW?
• by expanding the network
of cycle paths, cycle bridges
and super-cycle paths to
provide long, continuous
cycling links where people
can ride at their own pace.
• by making cycle paths wider
and by establishing green
waves to give cyclists
shorter journey times.
• by establishing more and
better bike shelters for
parking.
THE RESULTS?
Space on the roads, less noise,
cleaner air, healthier people
and healthier finances.
The cycle paths in the Capital
Region contribute to:
• reducing annual carbon
emissions by 2.2 million
tonnes.
• overall, one million fewer
sick days per year.
• more space on the roads
for commercial traffic. This
stimulates productivity. The
value to the social economy
equated to DKK 800 million
in 2012.
Each time a motorist chooses
to go by bike instead of by car,
society benefits to the value
of DKK 1.34 per kilometre
covered.
Source: Capital Region of
Denmark, cycling accounts
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GREEN MOBILITY
That presents some challenges in
terms of urban space, because – well,
what are we going to do with all those
cars and buses? Here, Copenhagen is
a source of inspiration for other cities
struggling to convince politicians, the
public and business partners that
“the idea of cycling is not completely
bonkers”. Copenhagen is living proof
that cycling is a serious means of
transport which, as well as saving
space, causes neither noise nor
air pollution and is very effective in
terms of public health,” she explains.
GETTING EVEN MORE PEOPLE
ON THEIR BIKES
Investment in cycling in the City of
Copenhagen is a real good-news
story. Already, the number of bicycles
exceeds the population headcount in
the City of Copenhagen, and cycling
is the runaway favourite mode of
transport. But Copenhagen is not
stopping at that.
“Even more Copenhageners will
have to take to their bicycles in order
for the City of Copenhagen and the
people of the city to reach the target
of becoming carbon neutral by 2025.
But we are also working with the
neighbouring municipalities in order
to persuade their people to take to
their bikes when they come to Copenhagen. The network of ’super-cycle
paths’ all the way into the heart of
Copenhagen is an example of a joint
regional initiative,” Marie explains.
Designed to make commuting
cyclists want to choose their bikes in
preference to their cars, the supercycle paths follow the most direct
route without lots of stoppages, and
offer sufficient space for people to
ride at their own pace. And they are
really nice to cycle on, with such an
even surface, lighting at night and
snow clearance in winter.
The “Test an electric bicycle”
pro­ject serves the same purpose. It
is designed to get more people who
commute longer distances to their
place of work or study to do as Tine
Lütgemeier has done and choose an
electric bicycle instead of commuting
by car.
“Sales of electric bicycles are
breaking all records in Germany and
the Netherlands, and once we Danes
really open our eyes to the many
benefits of the electric bicycle, I believe we can expect to see a lot more
people commuting by bike, even over
longer distances,” Marie predicts.
HOME IN NO TIME
Out by Rigshospitalet, Tine Lütgemeier looks forward to the ten-kilo­
metre journey home via Utterslev
Mose and along a new super-cycle
path – ably assisted by her bicycle’s
battery-operated electric motor.
“The bicycle has different settings
depending on how much power I
need, so I can manage even quite
steep hills. When I stop pedalling, the
motor cuts out, but as soon as I start
pedalling again, the motor kicks back
in,” she explains.
She also turns on her iPhone,
which tracks her cycling statistics.
“Twenty-eight minutes and lots
of fresh air, and I’m home!” she says,
and she is off in a split second –
almost too fast for the photographer
to get her in focus.
With an electric bicycle, Tine Lütgemeier is “flying”.
Without it, she would not be able to cycle from
Mørkhøj to Rigshospitalet and back every day.
One kilometre in a car
produces on average 132
grammes of carbon dioxide.
By comparison, an electric
bicycle produces only 12
grammes. So, when Tine
Lütgemeier chooses to
commute to work on her
electric bicycle instead of
going by car, she is saving
the environment approximately 2,400 grammes of
carbon dioxide each day.
THE REGION AND MUNICIPALITIES SHOW THE WAY AHEAD
ELECTRIFYING THE CAPITAL
TAKING SHORTCUTS IN AND AROUND COPENHAGEN
BOOK AN ELECTRIC CAR IN FREDENSBORG
CYCLING IN THE KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM
IN ALBERTSLUND
Electric cars are almost silent, they do not produce exhaust fumes, and they are important for a greener society because they
involve lower carbon emissions and are not dependent on fossil
fuels. With this in mind, the Capital Region and the municipalities
of the region have set up “Copenhagen Electric” – an electric car
secretariat to promote more electric cars on the roads. Obvious
places to start are municipalities, large companies and private
households with two cars, where one could beneficially be replaced with a car powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels.
When Town Hall employees of Fredensborg Municipality travel
around town on business, they no longer call a taxi or drive their
own cars. The Town Hall has invested in nine electric cars which
employees can book in the same way as a meeting room.
The Municipality has invested DKK 700,000 in the project, which
runs over a period of six years. Much of the investment is recouped in the form of reduced costs for taxis and mileage allowances, and it also saves the carbon emissions that would accrue to
society from driving 350,000 km in petrol or diesel cars.
CYCLING ALL DAY LONG IN FURESØ
Cycling is good for the economy, the climate and health. With
this in mind, Furesø Municipality is keen to make cycling a
straightforward, natural part of both work and leisure activities.
The new super-cycle path from Farum to Copenhagen takes in
woodland and lakeside views. New cycling stands with built-in
locks have been developed for the suburban railway stations.
People can also try out their cycling skills on the asphalted
landing strip at the former aviation station in Værløse, or go on
cycling trips to sample local produce.
For years, motorists have been able to get round Copenhagen
via the ring road. Within six or seven years, they will have a faster
alternative to using their cars, when the ceremonial ribbon will be
cut to open 27 miles of light rail from Lundtofte in the north to
Ishøj in the south. The expectation is that 13 million passengers
a year will take light rail, which will have 27 stops en route with
the option of interchanging with the suburban railway (S-tog) at
six stations. The light rail will be paid for by the government, the
Capital Region and the municipalities, which have earmarked
more than DKK 4 billion (2013 prices) for the project.
With more kilometres of cycle paths than roads, the population
of Albertslund Municipality are able to get around between
homes, institutions and green areas by bike quickly and easily.
The Municipality wants to boost cycling and public transport
by 25% between 2010 and 2020. One prerequisite is teaching
the town’s children to ride a bike. This is why the day-care
institutions have put cycling on the agenda for pre-schoolers.
Out of a total of 334 children who started school in 2013, only
four needed to use balancing wheels.
POINTING THE WAY TO GREEN MOBILITY
There is no point reinventing the wheel. That is why municipalities,
research institutes and private companies which are all are working to encourage people in Denmark to adopt greener transport
habits, are collaborating on the “Formula M” project. This tempers
theoretical knowledge with the municipalities’ sense of what can
be achieved. The goal is to get the Danes to travel fewer miles, to
switch to greener transport and to make flexible modes of trans­port
such as shared cars and shared bicycles available and attractive.
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GREEN MOBILITY