Bicycle climate test 2024: NRW municipalities in the fast lane or behind?

Bicycle climate test 2024: NRW municipalities in the fast lane or behind?

As part of the current ADFC bicycle climate test, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) experienced an improvement in the overall rating. The average grade for 254 municipalities fell from 3.93 to 3.88. This development shows that the efforts to make cycling in cities more attractive are beginning to bear fruit. But the air is still thin, especially in larger cities like Cologne, which achieved a grade of 4.19 and therefore ends up in the lower range of the rating. Cologne is therefore on the same level as the cities of Dortmund (4.30) and Essen (4.33) and performs worse than Düsseldorf, the best city among the large municipalities with a grade of 4.17. This is reported by WDR.

As the ADFC reports, the main points of criticism from cyclists in North Rhine-Westphalia are the cycle paths that are too narrow and the poor traffic lights. Taking bicycles on buses and trains is also often viewed as inadequate. Nevertheless, there are positive aspects to report: the accessibility of city centers by bike is praised and one-way streets have been opened for cyclists in many cities.

Most bike friendly places

The result of the test shows the extreme differences within NRW, which come as a surprise to many. The most bike-friendly places in the country are Wettringen with a top rating of 1.55, followed by Reken (1.63, biggest improvement) and Olfen (2.40). Münster tops the list as the best city with 200,000 inhabitants or more with a grade of 2.97, followed by Bocholt and Meckenheim.

• Wettringen: 1,55
• Reken: 1,63 (größte Verbesserung)
• Olfen: 2,40
• Münster: 2,97 (beste Stadt ab 200.000 Einwohnern)

On the other hand, various cities in North Rhine-Westphalia show that there is still a lot of work ahead of us. Duisburg (4.46), Krefeld (4.41) and Hagen (4.64) received poor marks from cyclists. Lüdenscheid, which has improved slightly, was also unable to convince with a grade of 4.94.

The ADFC calls for action

What is particularly alarming is the lack of bike-friendliness in large cities, which is of great importance for many commuters and residents. The ADFC appeals to cities not only to take structural measures, but also to increase bicycle-friendliness through non-structural approaches. This could make a crucial difference in cyclists’ everyday lives. The results of the test are not only feedback from users, but also a valuable reference point for transport planners and political decision-makers.

A special survey brought Aachen victory in the special survey on coexistence in traffic, where the city achieved a grade of 3.6. For Cologne, an initial evaluation of the city districts showed that the city center and Ehrenfeld performed best, while Cologne Kalk belongs to the end of the list.

In summary, it can be said that the ADFC bicycle climate test, which was carried out for the eleventh time in 2024, provides valuable insights into the satisfaction of cyclists. The aim of this comprehensive survey, which was able to take place thanks to funding from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport using funds from the National Cycling Plan, is to further improve the situation for cyclists in Germany. The entire survey took place from September to November 2024 and offers cities the opportunity to evaluate their progress in promoting cycling. Those interested can find more information on the ADFC website, which oversees the Bicycle Climate Test.