On the morning of Day 2 of the site visit Niels Jensen (Copenhagen City Council) led the group on a tour of various cycle measures in Copenhagen. In contrast to the group’s year one visit to Copenhagen which featured a tour on-foot, this year cities were able to hire bicycles which allowed two key advantages:

• To see the city from another road-user perspective
• Coverage of a wider geographical area

Bicycle hire

The bicycle hire was located close to the central train station and is thus very accessible for train users. The group collected their bikes from an underground lock-up which also included a bicycle shop.

 

A tunnel connects the pavement level with the underground facility and has channels either side to fit the wheels of bikes and allow smooth carriage in and out.

Below, cycle shop and entrance to cycle hire bay.

New infrastructure

The group were taken to two sites where construction of new cycle paths next to the carriageway was underway. The two pictures below display a new cycle path which allows safe passage for cyclists but also runs in parallel to space for pedestrians and therefore access to public transport.

 

Below, the construction work continues…

 

Priority for cyclists

Priority for cyclists is a common feature in Copenhagen. Below is a set of miniature traffic lights for cyclists (from the municipality of Fredericsberg) and examples of the blue paint used on roads to notify drivers of crossing cyclists.

   

More street furniture below and the photo on the right displays the physical interface between a ‘Greenway’ and an oncoming road.

   

Greenways

Copenhagen has a series of ‘Greenways’ which consist of designated space for cyclists and pedestrians. The Greenways cut across urban areas and are isolated from the conventional road network. The example below is often used by commuters or for leisure purposes.