Ranking of Southwest Cities for Bicycle- friendliness
In the latest edition of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) Bicycle Climate Test 2024, Tübingen emerged as the winner in its city category (50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants). This achievement places Tübingen at the forefront of bicycle-friendly cities in the southwest German state of Baden-Württemberg, maintaining its reputation as a pioneer in promoting cycling.
The survey, which took place from September to the end of November 2024, received a total of 184,500 questionnaires from respondents across 1,047 locations where the minimum participation was reached. Among these, 172 larger municipalities in the southwest were considered for evaluation.
Notably, Tübingen was joined by Eislingen/Fils (district of Göppingen) and Ettlingen in showing significant improvements in their bicycle-friendliness scores. These cities have made commendable efforts to enhance cycling conditions for their residents and visitors.
The Bicycle Climate Test aims to gather the opinions of frequent and occasional cyclists, rather than representing a cross-section of the population. The test evaluates cities based on factors such as cycling infrastructure, traffic safety, parking facilities, and cycling policy. Cities that perform exceptionally well are recognised for their commitment to improving cycling conditions.
In the same survey, Freiburg, Karlsruhe, and Ettlingen (Karlsruhe district) landed in the top 3 of their respective categories. However, the state capital, Stuttgart, did not show improvement in its bicycle-friendliness score and ranked ninth among cities with more than half a million inhabitants.
The ADFC highlighted the need for improvement in traffic safety and coexistence in traffic, with grades between 3 and 4 being unsatisfactory for promoting cycling. Matthias Zimmermann, the state chairman of ADFC, emphasized the need for stronger separation of car and bicycle traffic and more controls to ensure safety and encourage cycling.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, we encourage you to visit the official ADFC website or contact their local chapter in Baden-Württemberg. The results for specific cities in Baden-Württemberg in the 2024 test are yet to be released in detail.
It's worth noting that Baden-Württemberg, alongside Hesse and Lower Saxony, continues to maintain its position as a leader in bicycle friendliness in Germany. The region's commitment to promoting cycling is evident in the improvements shown by cities like Tübingen, Eislingen/Fils, and Ettlingen.
As more cities focus on enhancing their cycling infrastructure and promoting safety, we can expect to see continued improvements in bicycle-friendliness across Germany.
- In the realm of home-and-garden improvements, one might consider integrating bike storage solutions, reflecting Tübingen's bicycle-friendly city status.
- As lifestyle choices embrace health-and-wellness, residents of bicycle-friendly municipalities like Tübingen, Eislingen/Fils, and Ettlingen, can take advantage of fitness-and-exercise opportunities by choosing to cycle daily.
- The science of urban planning could benefit from studying the success of municipalities like Tübingen, Eislingen/Fils, and Ettlingen, as they strive to create environmentally conscious cities that prioritize cycling infrastructure and traffic safety.
