Increasing the proportion of cycling and walking as modes of transport

City of Helsinki

To increase the proportion of cycling among the different modes of transport, a diverse selection of measures is required, including influencing, building infrastructure and high-quality maintenance. If the City wants to increase the volume of cycling, essential routes need to have sufficient space for cyclists.

In the 2014 development programme for bicycling, an annual funding level of 20 million euros was presented (until ca. 2025), of which approximately 18 million euros were proposed to be used on infrastructural investments (approximately 50 per cent of the sum is needed for the expansion of the Baana network). The remaining 2 million euros would be spent on the implementation of cycling-related services, communications, monitoring and the implementation of other matters.

In Helsinki, the 10-year investment programme included in the budget for 2018 includes direct appropriations of approximately 11–20 million euros for working on the pedestrian and cycling paths of the City. In addition to this, the paths for walking and cycling will be implemented in connection with new construction using the budgetary appropriations allocated to the implementation of project areas and that are specific to the ‘major districts’. Cycling is also promoted through means such as the development of the city bike system, implemented within the framework of HKL’s investment programme (approximately 0.7–1.3 million euros a year).