• Cycling is becoming more popular, and many experts predict that by the year 2020 at least thirty percent of the trips taken will be by bicycle
• Research shows that cycling is on the rise for a number of reasons, including the high cost of fuel and protecting the environment
• Citizens in countries all over the globe are using cycling more often to minimize pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

Cycling instead of driving a vehicle is a big factor that can help improve the environment and prevent pollution and fossil fuel use. Riding a bicycle is become a more popular method of transportation as more people become aware of the damage vehicle emissions can cause. More cities are also becoming better situated, to allow cycling to become a major method of transportation. The research paper titled A Fair Modal Share For Cycling: Twenty Percent By 2020 In Orlando, which was written by Elisabeth Sommer, Ed. D., points out that increasing the modal share of cycling can greatly benefit the earth and environment. This paper also points out that the proper infrastructure needs to be in place to allow for safe and effective cycling. As fossil fuels become less prevalent and are in short supply the cost of gasoline and diesel will increase significantly. In addition to this is the fact that cars and other vehicles cause pollution and speed up global warming. More people are realizing this and turning back to bicycles for transportation as well as for fun.

Some experts predict that with the seriousness of the global warming crisis, and the United States taking steps to classify greenhouse gases as dangerous, cycling and other fuel free methods of transportation will pick up again. In countries like Ireland, and cities such as Orlando and Los Angeles, cycling is much more prevalent and has a higher percentage than others. In Transportation Research Part A: Policy And Practice, the outline for increasing the modal share for cycling includes providing the infrastructure that cyclists need to make cycling a viable option, instead of a poor choice. This research paper points out that there are no uniform rules when it comes to cycling, and two cities side by side will have different cycling modal shares and obstructions to increasing these shares. As more cities attempt green transportation methods, the infrastructure will be built and the cycling modal share will increase, very possibly reaching thirty percent by the year 2020. Cycling offers health benefits as well as environmental benefits, and these are both reasons why cycling has become so popular.

The cycling modality will rise gradually, as more people attempt to lessen their detrimental impact on the earth. A bicycle can be the perfect form of transportation for short distances, such as across the city or around the block. Cities in Europe that have bike share programs have seen a substantial increase in the cycling modality, and a decrease in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. With these programs bikes are shared, making it easy to access one for anyone who needs it. A subscription or pass is purchased, and these are used to pay for the bike use. France has even gone so far as to set a target reduction percentage for cars and other vehicle use by 2020 at forty percent, or almost half of the transportation used. Bicycles will take the place of these vehicles, and this is just one country. Less cars and more bicycles used on the roads and for transportation will make the future a cleaner and better place to be. According to the research statistics stated in the study Vital Travel Statistics, using a vehicle to transport one person across a city requires eighty five times more energy than the same person riding a bike the distance instead. The National Travel Survey shows that more than ten million people use bikes, and over one million people in Great Britain alone cycle back and forth to work, eliminating a large amount of pollution. This trend will continue to grow all over the world, as the bicycle becomes the most preferred method of transportation for a large number of reasons.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 10:13 am and is filed under Bicycle News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.