Cyclists in Munich are dissatisfied: Where is the improvement?

Cyclists in Munich are dissatisfied: Where is the improvement?

In Bavaria, the cycling community is concerned about the current results ADFC bicycle climate tests 2024, which were presented in Munich on Tuesday. Eva Mahling, the Bavarian state chairwoman of the ADFC, expresses her displeasure at the stagnating values, which show only minimal progress since the last survey two years ago. With 213,000 people taking part, the survey shows that many cyclists are dissatisfied with the infrastructure in Bavaria.

The cycle paths in particular cause trouble: they are often too narrow and are blocked by parked cars, which severely affects cyclists' sense of safety. Another pressing problem is overtaking by drivers, with 60 to 70 percent of those surveyed stating that the legally required distance of 1.5 meters in urban areas and 2 meters outside urban areas is often not maintained.

Grades and recommendations

The results of the test are mixed. Taking bicycles on public transport is rated at 4.7, which is rather below average in the rest of Germany. However, there was positive feedback for the cleaning of the cycle paths and winter services, which cyclists in Bavaria can enjoy. Fortunately, the theft rate of their bicycles is also low.

Among cities with up to 200,000 inhabitants, Erlangen leads with a score of 3.13, while Munich takes fifth place among larger cities with over 500,000 inhabitants and receives 3.89 points. However, those surveyed in Munich seem interested in improvements; they would like wider cycle paths and better integration of bicycles into public transport.

The next test is coming

The ADFC bicycle climate test is the largest survey on cyclist satisfaction and is carried out every two years. New questions are planned for the next round, which will take place from September 1st to November 30th, 2024. These are intended not only to evaluate the friendliness of bicycles, but also to focus on coexistence in traffic and the behavior of other road users. The results of the upcoming survey will be presented in Berlin in spring 2025. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers are taken into account at the same time in order to enable a realistic assessment of the traffic situation.

Looking to the future, the ADFC bicycle climate test 2024 could provide valuable information for traffic planning in cities. The aim is to continuously improve the conditions for cyclists. A committed exchange between cyclists and political decision-makers is becoming increasingly important to ensure that necessary investments flow in the right direction. Ultimately, feedback from cyclists is an important means of bringing about constructive changes in the infrastructure and promoting cycling in Bavaria.