When it comes to traveling and movement from one point to the other, many things keep changing. One of these things is heavier traffic because many people are commuting due to city changes. To reduce traffic, avoid delays and reduce emissions, many cities have taken up the use of bikes and foot instead of cars.
For some cities, this is a culture that has been there for a very long time. However, for other cities, it is a modern-day style that has been taken up not long ago. Here are some of these cities worth knowing about. The data is collected from sources such as the Copenhagen index of 2019 and Weforum.
10 Montreal, Canada
Montreal is a Metro area with a total population of 4.1 million inhabitants. The city is one of the few in the world that puts a lot of emphasis on bicycles and walking to transport themselves instead of driving. The city has also created a great environment for that by providing more than 3,000 kilometers of tracks dedicated to walking and bike lanes. It is a system that is encouraged to the residents and taken up very well.
9 Auckland, New Zealand
The city of Auckland has a very low carbon emission rate because people use cars less frequently. With the metro region having a population of 1.6 million people, less car usage helps reduce congestion. The residents have been taking up walking and use of bikes for a long time. The city of Auckland's plan to reduce emissions has seen the provision of more areas for cycling and even reducing car use by use of the bus fleet.
8 Copenhagen
Copenhagen has managed to do a lot of work on ensuring people are using bicycles as much as possible whether it is school or work. The city has provided long miles of tracks used by bicycles alongside bicycle bridges under construction to make it easier for bikers to peddle where they need to go. There is very low priority laid on cars in the city. The national government has also been working on improving the infrastructure in the city to favor the use of bikes.
7 Amsterdam
The big plan on improving bike usage in the city of Amsterdam kicked off in 2019. The goal is to improve infrastructure and provide a better environment for people using bikes in the city. The city has created many routes for bikes and provided clear streets for use. The protected areas provide a better environment for cyclists. Additionally, there is great motivation for people who opt to walk as opposed to those using cars. The city is becoming even better by the days and the number of cars in use is reducing significantly.
6 Basel, Switzerland
Although there are many cheap things tourists can enjoy in Switzerland, however, Basel is one of the cities in Switzerland that is known to have an amazing bike culture and it has been implanted in its residents. People of all ages bike conveniently as the environment is structured to allow bike users to peddle space and safety. The city has also provided areas for people to park their bikes. When it comes to the use of roads, there are many road signs that direct bikes making them easy to navigate. The car drivers in the city have also been sensitized on how to interact with pedestrians and cyclists and respect their use of roads.
5 Munster, Germany
In the city of Munster, the use of bikes stands at 40% of the total population. Walking is around 24% and the use of a car is 36%. These are not the best numbers in the world but they are quite impressive. Every big road in the city of Munster is equipped with bike lanes. There is an excellent environment that allows cyclists to have an easy time when using the rods. Although many drivers in the city have not fully understood the role of bikes in the city, many of them are learning and adapting.
4 Bogota, Colombia
The rate at which the city of Bogota is working on the reduction of emissions has been impressive in the recent past. This is a move that has been accomplished by bike usage and walking in the city. In 2000, the city started working on its ambitious project. Although at first, it started with bus usage and bikes being more commonly taken. The city has more than 84 kilometers of permanent and high-quality bike tracks. There are also more than 550 kilometers of temporary lanes used for bikes and walking around the city. The city is working very hard on increasing that number.
3 Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is another impressive city for someone looking for a place with good biking and walking because it has good roads and great policies. The plan on supporting the use of walking paths and biking started in 2013. The plan was to expand the systems in the city. The city has managed to do a lot in laying down systems for bikes and walking. This is according to copenhagenize index data of 2019. There are also guidelines on controlling speeds and respecting bike users.
2 Taipei, Taiwan
The city of Taipei has also been nicknamed the bicycle kingdom due to its high bike usageThe city has managed to have a very high number of people using bikes with the government even providing subsidized bikes for the residents. There are bikes to rent and even cycling conferences held every year. The city is one of the best bike-friendly cities in the world. Many of its major streets have well paved and marked bike lanes.
1 Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is one of those cities in the world whose plan and use of bikes started a long time ago. The city has also received several awards for its initiative. There are many well-developed tracks for bikes. There are also parts of the city where vehicles are not allowed which allow more freedom and safety for people to practice and travel.