International consensus on the bicycle is growing, according to the latest Ipsos survey, while Fiab launches the campaign “La bici ridisegna il futuro”
There is a cleaner, fairer horizon we can draw one pedal stroke at a time. A horizon to be built through daily choices and actions that can make a difference. An ever-growing number of people in Italy and around the world appear to be aware of this, as the latest Ipsos survey reveals.
The survey was conducted in 28 countries, including Italy, on citizens' opinions regarding the use of the bicycle, and shows international consensus on the key role bicycles play in reducing carbon emissions and, more broadly, traffic. Moreover, across all the markets examined, the bicycle enjoys widespread public support, and there is also broad backing for giving it priority in new infrastructure projects.
In Italy, 57 per cent of respondents say they know how to ride a bicycle, and 49 per cent say they own one they can use personally for getting around. 26 per cent say they use the bicycle for physical activity, and only ten per cent to get to their workplace or place of study. Finally, eight per cent say they use public bike-sharing systems. It should be noted, however, that only six per cent of Italians have no access to a car — the lowest percentage among all 28 countries examined.
Overall, 37 per cent of Italians cycle at least once a week, a figure that drops to thirteen per cent among those who say they use the bicycle as their main mode of transport for a two-kilometre journey, behind walking (42 per cent) and using their own car (29 per cent).
The majority of Italians (88 per cent) believe that cycling plays an important role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and in reducing traffic (85 per cent). This figure unfortunately comes up against the issue of safety. Indeed, more than half of respondents (62 per cent) believe that cycling in their local area is too dangerous. Among citizens from the 28 countries involved in the survey, Italians are therefore the most likely to agree that cyclists frequently fail to observe the Highway Code and can thus pose a danger to pedestrians and motorists.
At a global level, it can be observed that bicycle use for errands or commuting is highest in countries where the bicycle is most widely perceived as a safe mode of transport (for example in China, Japan and the Netherlands).
57 per cent of Italians consider the bicycle an urban trend, and despite this high percentage — more than one in two respondents — the level of agreement is among the lowest of the 28 countries examined: Italy ranks twenty-fifth, behind South Korea (56 per cent), Japan (47 per cent) and Hungary (41 per cent).
In most of the markets examined, the bicycle enjoys a higher level of approval than all other forms of transport. In Italy, despite the safety concerns mentioned above, the bicycle receives 81 per cent approval, while the e-bike receives 77 per cent. This is followed by: the car (68 per cent), motorcycles/mopeds (60 per cent), electric scooters (39 per cent) and lorries (34 per cent).
"La bici ridisegna il futuro" is the campaign launched by Fiab Federazione italiana ambiente e bicicletta ahead of 3 June, World Bicycle Day.
"The world is changing and dependence on fossil fuels is causing enormous damage to the planet, to the global climate, as well as to our peace and security," says Alessandro Tursi, president of Fiab. "All of us — ordinary citizens and policymakers alike — are called upon to make conscious choices: the bicycle is a fundamental climate, energy, social and urban planning solution, and as such it must become a priority. Our message for 3 June is therefore an explicit invitation to pedal together towards a safer, healthier and more sustainable future."
Fiab's initiative draws direct inspiration from the ECF-European Cyclists Federation — the European federation of cycling associations, of which Fiab is among the founders and the sole Italian member — which at an international level raises the question "How will the bicycle shape our future?" Indeed, recent years have been marked by a new awareness of the importance and opportunities offered by two wheels. More and more people are cycling in our cities, and new financial resources have been allocated to cycling mobility, while further funding is hoped to follow.
In addition, two important developments are the rapid spread of the e-bike, which has enormously expanded the pool of users, and the arrival of cargo bikes for urban deliveries. According to Fiab, the bicycle is therefore truly destined, now more than ever, to reshape the future of cities and territories. With this in mind, spaces dedicated to people must be greater and healthier, while the energy model must leave behind the era of fossil fuels and the related geopolitical and military tensions, so that peaceful coexistence between states and between the people who inhabit urban spaces can be guaranteed.