Cycling during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020, there have been significant changes in mobility worldwide. This chapter gives a short overview of general mobility behavior changes and a detailed summary of changes in relation to cycling and bicycle-related reactions of municipalities in urban planning to address and cater to those changes. Overall, there was a decrease in general mobility due to travel restrictions, school closures, or people working from home. Additionally, similar changes in the transport modes used could be observed in many different countries, with the significantly decreased number of trips with public transport while at the same time private car usage increased. This chapter focuses on cycling trips, which have increased since they offer a socially distanced way of traveling, especially compared to non-individual travel modes. These changes in mobility subsequently influenced accident numbers and emissions. Many cities worldwide reacted to the different circumstances and adopted new, often temporary, infrastructure measures that encouraged people to cycle and walk more. Measures taken include tactical urbanism, pop-up bike lanes and expansion of the bicycle network, the closures of streets and intersections for cars, the adjustment of speed limits, and the encouragement to use bike-sharing. The chapter also reflects on the potential of the pandemic and the urban planning interventions put in place as a catalyst for sustainable mobility behavior. The pandemic has opened the way for further mobility transition toward both active travel modes and environmental friendliness in general. Many changes that were observed will persist and may change the way we move and fulfill our mobility needs in the long-term, as the increase of mobile working or the shift toward virtual meetings continue. In the end, the changed circumstances due to the pandemic worked as a catalyst for implementing such measures, and the cities should further make use of this opportunity.