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Key Data:

Figure 1: World Bicycle Production, 1950-2003 graph table

Figure 2: World Bicycle and Automobile Production, 1950-2003 graph table

Figure 3: Selected Bicycle Promotion Initiatives from Around the World


Year
Bicycles
Automobiles
Million
1950
11
8
1951
11
7
1952
12
6
1953
13
8
1954
14
8
1955
15
11
1956
16
9
1957
17
10
1958
18
9
1959
19
11
1960
20
13
1961
20
11
1962
20
14
1963
20
16
1964
21
17
1965
21
19
1966
22
19
1967
23
19
1968
24
22
1969
25
23
1970
36
22
1971
39
26
1972
46
28
1973
52
30
1974
52
26
1975
43
25
1976
47
29
1977
49
30
1978
51
28
1979
54
31
1980
62
29
1981
65
28
1982
69
27
1983
74
30
1984
76
30
1985
79
32
1986
84
33
1987
98
33
1988
105
34
1989
95
36
1990
91
36
1991
96
35
1992
99
36
1993
99
34
1994
102
35
1995
103
36
1996
96
37
1997
90
39
1998
87
39
1999
96
40
2000
104
41
2001
95
40
2002
104
41
2003
105
42
Source: Compiled by Earth Policy Institute from Worldwatch Institute, Vital Signs 2005 (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2005); Lester R. Brown and Janet Larsen, "World Turning to Bicycle for Mobility and Exercise: Bicycle Sales Top 100 Million in 2000," Eco-Economy Update (Washington, DC: 17 July 2002); Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, Industry Directory, various years (Santa Fe, NM: Bill Communications).

Selected Bicycle Promotion Initiatives Around the World, 2005
City Country Initiative
Melbourne Australia Biking to work has increased 5-fold within a generation, with 4,100 trips made each day in 2001. The Australian government's National Cycling Strategy seeks to enable safe cycling and increase cycling infrastructure and improve its integration into transport and land use planning
Santiago Chile Chile's National Commission for Traffic Safety (CONASET) has begun construction of a 1,200 kilometer bicycle path network.
Bogotá Colombia Bogotá's bicycle network, at more than 300 kilometers long, is the most extensive in the developing world. All cars are banned from 120 kilometers of the city's main streets on Sundays and holidays, and 40 percent of private cars are prohibited during weekday peak hours.
Copenhagen Denmark Copenhagen boasts 329 kilometers of on-road cycle tracks and 37 kilometers of green routes. Its inhabitants cycle 1.1 million kilometers each day. One third of the 2002 road construction budget was earmarked for improving cycling conditions.
Germany Germany currently has more than 40,000 kilometers of designated bike ways.
Ghana The use of bikes in some rural areas has facilitated a shift towards decentralized, community-based health care. Workers on bicycles can reach 8 times as many patients as those stationed in health clinics.
Tokyo Japan Bicycle use is encouraged by the high cost of owning a car: fuel taxes account for almost half of the price of gas, and automobile tax levies and vehicle inspection fees amount to an average of almost $2,000 annually.
Nagoya Japan Employer contributions for commuting by bicycle doubled in 2000, while allowances for automobile commuters were halved.
Netherlands First country to establish an official national bicycle policy; currently there are almost 19,000 kilometers of paths and lanes exclusively for bicycles.
Senegal Healthcare professionals replacing taxi or animal cart trips with bicycles can halve their travel time and reduce costs by $0.30-0.40 per trip.
Chicago United States Chicago has 160 kilometers of bicycle lanes and 10,000 bike racks. Bikes are allowed on trains and all buses are equipped with bike racks. Sixty-eight rail stations have indoor bicycle parking facilities.
Portland, Oregon United States Since 1990, Portland has increased its bikeway length 4-fold, and its bicycle riders have tripled in number. Portland's Bicycle Master Plan seeks to lengthen the 240 kilometer-long bicycle network, provide more end-of-trip facilities, improve integration of bicycle use and public transit, and improve safety.
Compiled by Elizabeth Mygatt, Earth Policy Institute, December 2005.
Sources: Graham Bradshaw, ed., The Australian Bicycle Industry Report 2004 (Carlton, Australia: Retail Cycle Traders Australia and Graphyte Media, October 2004); Austroads, The Australian National Bicycling Strategy 2005-2010 (Sydney: 2005), pp. 11, 14-15; Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, "National Campaign Promotes Bicycle Riding in Chile," bicycleretailer.com, 2 August 2005; Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, "Bike Use in Bogotá Jumps 900%, Boosts Local Bike Retailers," press release, 7 October 2001; The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Energy Foundation, "UN World Environment Day: Transforming Public Transportation," agenda, 3 June 2005; City of Copenhagen, Building and Construction Administration, Roads and Parks Department, Cycle Policy 2002-2012 (Copenhagen: July 2002), pp. 5, 10; City of Copenhagen, Building and Construction Administration, Roads and Parks Department, Bicycle Account 2004 (Copenhagen, 2004), pp. 3, 7; Bicycle Germany, "Bicycling in Germany," www.bicyclegermany.com/bicycling_in_germany.htm, updated 29 April 2005; Aimée Gauthier, “Using Bicycles to Save Lives,” Sustainable Transport, Fall 2004, pp. 8-11, 29; "Selected Bicycle Promotion Initiatives Around the World," table in Lester R. Brown and Janet Larsen, "World Turning to Bicycle for Mobility and Exercise: Bicycle Sales Top 100 Million in 2000," Eco-Economy Update (Washington, DC: 17 July 2002); Walter Hook, "Are Bicycles Making Japan More Competitive?" Sustainable Transport, Summer 1993; "Nagoya Municipal Office Launches a New Environmental Protection Measure," Asahi Shimbun, 12 December 2000; City of Chicago, "Chicago Bike Route Signage," egov.cityofchicago.org; City of Portland (Oregon), City of Portland Bicycle Master Plan - Executive Summary, www.portlandonline.com/index.cfm, 1 May 1996; Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Blueprint for Better Biking: 40 Ways to Get There (Portland, OR: 2005).

 

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