Lower Saxony in the bike tour test: improvements and concerns of cyclists!

Lower Saxony in the bike tour test: improvements and concerns of cyclists!

According to the latest results of the ADFC bicycle climate test, it is time to significantly improve things related to cycling in Lower Saxony. The state chairman Rüdiger Henze calls for more investment in cycling infrastructure and clear recognition of the bicycle as an equal means of transport. The survey, in which around 23,000 people took part, shows that there is still room for improvement here and which resulted in a nationwide average rating of 3.8 for cities with over 50,000 inhabitants. Although this is a slight improvement compared to 2022 (from 3.91), 61 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their feeling of safety on the bike, which represents a decrease of nine percent. Henze sees an urgent need for action here.

Lower Saxony has already made progress in terms of accessibility to city centers and the opening of one-way streets in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, the weak points in the cycling infrastructure cannot be ignored, especially when it comes to the width and surface of many cycle paths as well as the safety regulations at construction sites. A significant number of 76 percent of participants reported that they were not given sufficient attention when overtaking. This shortcoming is a real problem for many cyclists.

Cities in focus

The results of the municipalities in different size classes are particularly outstanding. At the top of the rating are:

• Nordhorn (Note 2,83)
• Wietmarschen (2,95)
• Meppen (3,45)
• Hannover (3,52)
• Oldenburg (3,58)
• Braunschweig (3,71)

Some cities have also made significant progress, such as Bassum, Neustadt am Rübenberge and Celle, which are on the list of greatest improvements. These successes should serve as an incentive to continue optimizing the cycling infrastructure.

Guidelines for safety and comfort

In order to standardize and further develop the cycling infrastructure across Germany, the ADFC has formulated 15 guidelines. These aim to make cycle paths more accessible and safe and emphasize the need for a continuous cycle network. It is also recommended to provide a budget of at least 30 euros per inhabitant annually to create attractive cycling conditions. The bicycle monitor shows that almost half of Germans feel insecure when cycling. By improving the conditions for cyclists, we can encourage more people to use bicycles as a means of transport.

The current rankings and test results show that road safety in particular is the biggest challenge for cyclists. More than two thirds of cyclists feel unsafe, which is alarming given the narrow cycle paths and inadequate distance regulations when overtaking. Cities and municipalities must take immediate measures to make cycling safer and more pleasant.

Overall, the ADFC bicycle climate test shows that there is still a lot to do in Lower Saxony and nationwide. Investments in cycling infrastructure are essential to sustainably improve the cycling climate and increase the acceptance of bicycles in traffic. It remains to be seen whether municipalities have the courage to do their part. But one thing is clear: there is still a lot of work ahead of us!