Swiss Review 3/2018

14 Swiss Review / May 2018 / No.3 Society being shown towards the Singapore-based companyO-Bike in particular. O-Bike’s bikes tend to be of lowquality, so the company is coming in for criticism, with people saying that its primary focus is on gathering useable and sellable cus- tomer data. More fundamental issues are also inflaming passions. There is major discontent about the commercial appropriation, constriction and “blighting” – a quote from the NZZ – of public space. Others, on the other hand, pro- claimthat rental bikes simply provide proof that sharing is increasingly becomingmore important than personal own- ership. The bicycle in the Federal Constitution? The current furore over rental bikes obscures the view of the bigger picture. Rental bikes may well become a firm fixture. Some rental providers may well disappear from the scene. But the importance of bicycles will undoubt- edly increase in Swiss cities with or without the rental market. Many city authorities have put the promotion of cycling on their political agenda. The cities are going through a process of transformation. The “escape” to the country has long been supplanted by the desire to return to the city. The demographic change this entails is in turn putting pressure on the cities – including in terms of mo- bility. If they do not wish to suffer the impact of individ- ual motoring to an even greater extent, they also have to promote “non-motorised transport” – walking and espe- cially cycling – in addition to public transport. This has led to an ideologically charged situation. Left-wing and green politicians see the bicycle as a panacea in the fight against urban pollution, noise and confinement. In con- trast, motorists feel patronised but understand that no new cycle paths can be createdwithout reducing the road space dedicated to cars. However, the general course has already been set. Un- der pressure from the popular initiative calling for the promotion of cycling to be enshrined in the Federal Con- stitution, the Federal Council has also yielded. Its counter- proposal does not go as far as the bicycle initiative, but it does recognise the importance of cycling and its promo- tion. Adopting the same position as the Council of States, the National Council also backed the Federal Council’s cy- cling proposal inMarch. The Swiss peoplewill have the last word. Ever more car-free households The politicians may well be lagging behind what is actu- ally going on. Mobility in the cities has long been under- going a process of transformation. In several of Switzer- land’s larger cities, less than half of all households now still own their own car. The main reason for this restraint is the well-developed public transport infrastructure. However, expanding it is expensive and restricted by ur- ban density. The promotion of cycling in the cities as a transport policy goal not only aims to restrict private mo- toring but also to take the pressure off the buses and trams which are often full. Evi Allemann endorses this view. The President of the Swiss Association for Transport and the Environment and SP National Councillor, who has just been elected to the Bernese cantonal government, believes public transport is extremely important in Switzerland. The share that bicy- Swiss transport behaviour Of the almost four million commuters in Switzerland who travel to work every day, 54% drive a car or ride a motorbike, while 31% use public transport, 9% go on foot and 7% cycle to work. Of teenagers and young adults in education 7% also travel to their place of education by bike. The proportion of carless households is on the rise, particularly in the cities. The leader here is Berne at 56.8%, followed by Zurich at 52.8%, Basel at 52.1% and Lausanne at 46.3%. Lagging behind amongst the big cities is Geneva at 40.9%. cles make up of all modes of transport will probably dou- ble to 20% or more, particularly in urban areas, she says. However, it is unlikely that the figures of outstanding cy- cling cities, such as Copenhagen, will be reached in Swit- zerland. Public transport in Switzerland is simply too good for that. The burden on the cities will nevertheless be re- lieved by promoting cycling. What steps are needed? The transport politician be- lieves clearly marked and safe cycling lanes and paths are required as well as the improvement of danger spots. A per- ception of a lack of safety is preventing people from using their bikes in everyday life. Allemann: “Too many people say they are quite simply frightened.” A sufficient number of suitable parking places is also required, she says. Is she implying that the flooding of the cities with rental bikes without fixed parking places is a problem? “If anarchy reigns over cycling, this tarnishes its image.” “Clear rules” for everyone and binding agreements between providers and city authorities are needed. She also applies clear rules to her own mobility. She never drives a car and does not even hold a driving licence. Though this is actually no longer particularly unusual in Swiss cities, as alreadymen- tioned.