Italy by bike: how mobility is changing for millions of citizens

BICYCLE USE IN ITALY –

The next mayor of Rome will find a pleasant surprise on his desk. A dossier, arrived from the Ministry of Infrastructure, to complete the Grab (Grande Raccordo Anulare in bicicletta), a 44 kilometre route that crosses the capital, from the Colosseum to the outskirtsFor once, the money is all there; thirty kilometres of the super track are already ready, even if they need to be made safe, and the Roman industrialists have calculated that the Grab spin-off could be worth no less than 14 million euros a year for the local economy"The funding is complete, and the city of Rome just needs to rush to finish the project, which can be inaugurated in a year," warned Minister Graziano Delrio.

ALSO READ: Bike lanes: The government promises five cycle routes in Italy. Will we ever see them?

THE NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE CYCLE LANES –

On the eve of National Bicycle Day (8 May), the Minister of Infrastructure announced the national plan for five cycle routes: in addition to the Grande Raccordo Anulare in Rome, the approximately 600 kilometres along the Po Venice-Turin, the Apulian Aqueduct trail, the Sun cycle path and the Garda ring. A network that, if it were actually built, would mark the definitive entry of the bicycle into urban and extra-urban mobility and would reduce the enormous distance that separates us, in this choice, from the rest of Europe."For us, this is a strategic infrastructure, of national interest, with an even greater value than ordinary roads," says Delrio. The minister knows the numbers, and is well aware that the cycle tourism industry, where Italy is almost completely absent, generates €44 billion a year in Europe. Speaking of new mobility, there are 29 bike-sharing stations in Rome and 1.202 in Paris.

BICYCLE USE IN EUROPE –

At the moment, In Germany, not to mention the usual Scandinavian countries, there are 40 thousand kilometers of cycle paths, thirty times the sum of the routes available in Italy. And the first 20 of the 180 kilometers of the Ruhr motorway are already in operation, which will allow cycling through the most important industrial centers of the country.. Not only that. In spite of many mayors who have only made propaganda about cycling, without any concrete and significant intervention, other than the usual pedestrianization, in our country we still count 250 deaths per year due to accidents who saw cyclists hit by cars and trucks. A veritable massacre, which confirms how risky it still is to travel on two wheels in and around cities.

TO KNOW MORE: In Germany, the highway is designated for bicycles; in Italy, 249 cyclists die each year.

THE CASE OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF MASSAROSA –

The Renzi government's shift signals, at least in its intentions, a paradigm shift regarding bicycle use. Until now, while widespread, it has always been concentrated in a few geographic areas—think of cities in Emilia and Veneto like Ferrara, Reggio Emilia, and Padua—and among a specific segment of cycling enthusiasts. It's a cross between a hobby and a sport. The bicycle, however, is evolving into a means of transportation, accorded equal status to cars and motorcycles, and is becoming a mass, mass-use vehicle, symbolizing a fundamental shift in individual and collective lifestyles. While Minister Delrio attempts to make up for lost time by creating a national infrastructure network, Italians have moved forward, and now 25 million ride bicycles, even though only 6 million do so regularly, and barely 5 percent of men and women commute to work by bicycle. In France, a national law has been passed that grants a contribution of 0,25 cents per kilometer (up to a maximum of 50 euros per month) to those who choose to commute by bicycle. In Italy, something similar is only seen in small towns, with courageous mayors. As in the case of massarosa, in the province of Lucca, where the mayor promoted a "Bike to Work" project, initially reserved only for municipal employees and then extended to all citizensThe contribution is the same as that required by French law, and the campaign is funded by the proceeds of fines. Who knows, perhaps after the cycle paths, Delrio will also consider a national law based on the French model.

BICYCLE USE IN ITALY –

Another important indicator of the changing lifestyles associated with the use of two-wheelers comes from data from the manufacturing industry and consumer choices. Every year, Italians buy more bicycles than cars: 1 million 650 thousand pieces, 200 thousand more than cars.. Thanks to technological evolution, the models are increasingly more advanced, and the new trends are in favor of bicycles with pedal assistance, i.e. partially electric, and with systems for protection from theftIn Italy, unfortunately, 3 bikes disappear every day, and while we're becoming a nation of cyclists, we have to deal with a large segment of our population, bicycle thieves.

TO LEARN MORE: How to avoid bike theft: tips and tricks