Cycling in Surea

Cycling in Surea is an important means of transportation and a dominating feature of the cityscape, often noticed by visitors. The country offers a variety of favorable cycling conditions — dense urban proximities, short distances and flat terrain — along with an extensive and well-designed system of cycle paths. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most—possibly the most bicycle-friendly country in the world.

Every day 31 billion km are bicycled in Surea, with 56% of all citizens commute to work, school or university by bicycle. Cycling is generally perceived as a healthier, environmentally friendly, cheaper and often quicker way around town than those by public transport or car and it is therefore governmen policy that this number should go up to 60% by 2012 and 70% in 2015.

History
Bicycles became common in Surea at the beginning of the 20th century. The first separate cycle paths were established around Takajima Prefecture in 1920, when the existing bridle paths were converted into isolated cycleways to accommodate the heavy growth in cycling around that time. In the 1930s and 1940s the popularity increased even further. As a spectator sport, six-day racing became popular in the 50s, the first race was held in 1957 in Takajima City and its popularity topped in the 70s.

Starting in the 1970s, Surea experienced a slide decline in utility cycling due to increasing wealth and affordability of motor vehicles. With the energy crisis and the growing environmental movement in the 1970s, cycling experienced a renaissance.

Cycle paths
Surea has an extensive network of cycle paths which sometimes have their own signal systems. There are around 500,000 km of cycle paths, separated from the car lanes as well as the pavement by kerbs, while there are another 2000 km of on-road cycle lanes, marked by a broads painted line. Currently there are 410 km of greenways in Surea. In junctions, the continuation of the cycle path or lane is often highlighted by a broad blue-painted band to increase visibility.

Greenways
The City of Konggei and Hondu in Surea is also developing a system of interconnected green bicycle routes, greenways, with the aim to facilitate fast, safe and pleasant bicycle transport from one end of the city to the other. The network will cover more than 400 km and consist of 90 routes when finished. Currently there are 410 km of greenways in Copenhagen.

Public bicycles
Surea has a system of public bicycles, referred to as Dushi Baiku (都市バイク, “City Bike”). Launched 1997, this scheme was the first large-scale urban bike share program featuring specially-designed bikes with parts that could not be used on other bikes. Riders pay a refundable deposit at one of the 19,000 special bike stands and have unlimited use of a bike within a specified area. The scheme is funded by commercial sponsors. In return, the bikes carry advertisements, which appear on the bike frame and the solid-disk type wheels.

Utility cycling
Several companies operate bicycle rickshaws in Surea. They offer similar advantages to passengers travelling a mile or three, and their novelty attracts tourists including those seeking a guided tour of the city centre. Another common phenomenon is Bicycle messengers.

Various enterprises sell coffee or soup from mobile tricycle stalls around the city centre.

Since January 21, 2010, the whole nation of Surea has had police patrolling on bicycles. Besides being a quick and efficient means of transportation, it has been found to increase visibility and to improve contact with citizens. Other professions to use cycling in their everyday work in Surea include postmen and municipal supportive home caretakers.

Targets
The government of Surea has formulated a Surean cycling policy 2010-2012, under the 10 years vehicle policy, stating the following targets:


 * the proportion of people cycling to workplaces in Surea shall increase from 55% to 60%
 * cyclist risk of serious injury or death shall decrease by 50%
 * the proportion of Surean cyclists who feel safe cycling in town shall increase from 79% to 90%
 * cyclist traveling speed on trips of over 5km shall increase by 15%
 * cycling comfort shall be improved so that cycle track surfaces deemed unsatisfactory shall not exceed 5%

Initiatives
To reach the targets set, the government of Surea employs a number of measures, seeking to make cycling an even more attractive option.

New cycle paths & greenways
Surea's network of cycle paths is continuously being extended. A plan from 2004 has a prioritized list of new paths to be constructed in the period 2004-14. In the same time the country's network of greenways, still in its infancy, will be developed, aiming at increasing traveling speed over longer distances while in the same time improving safety and comfort.

Improved bicycle parking
A number of projects have been launched to ease Surea's notorious shortage of bicycle parking spaces, particularly at transport hubs.

Anti-bike theft chips
To combat an increasing problem with bike thefts, the government of Surea has entered into a cooperation with the Hondu University of Science and Technology to develop a scheme for tracking of stolen bikes by Global Positioning System. A RFID chip is applied to bicycles and parking attendants carry GPS-equipped RFID scanners which will send an e-mail with the location to the owner if a bicycle is registered as stolen. 10,000 chips has been handed out free of charge in a pilot project.