Bicycle climate test 2024: Brandenburg's cities fail!

Bicycle climate test 2024: Brandenburg's cities fail!

The results of the ADFC bicycle climate test 2024 were recently announced in the town halls of Ludwigsfelde, Luckenwalde, Trebbin and Königs Wusterhausen. The survey, in which around 213,000 cyclists took part from September to November 2024, shows that all four cities suffered severe setbacks compared to previous years. The test assesses the satisfaction of cyclists in Germany with the local conditions and is one of the largest surveys on the cycling climate in the world, funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.

With a grade of 4.0, Ludwigsfelde ranks 233rd out of 429 locations examined in Germany. In 2022 the rating was still 3.6. The cyclists in Ludwigsfelde particularly express concerns about bicycle theft, signposting and the availability of rental bicycles. City spokesman Kevin Senft emphasizes that only less than 0.4% of Ludwigsfeld residents took part in the survey, which makes the results appear unrepresentative.

Progress and points of criticism in Luckenwalde

Luckenwalde reached 193rd place with an overall rating of 3.9, although the grade only deteriorated slightly. Positive aspects such as traffic lights for cyclists and clean cycle path infrastructure were praised by citizens. Mayor Elisabeth Herzog-von der Heide sees positive effects of the city's measures, but continues to criticize the high number of bicycle thefts.

Königs Wusterhausen, on the other hand, performed poorly, reaching second-to-last place in Brandenburg with a score of 4.3 and ending up in 383rd place overall in Germany. The main points of criticism from cyclists include the increased number of bicycle thefts and the lack of signposts. Mayor Michaela Wiezorek announced that a mobility concept with 14 measures would be implemented by 2030, which should also promote bicycle traffic.

The situation in Trebbin

Trebbin, in 402nd place out of 423 places in the category with under 20,000 inhabitants, received a grade of 4.4. Here, cyclists mainly complain about the inadequate promotion of cycling, even if positive feedback was given about the opening of one-way streets. Mayor Ronny Haase emphasizes that several cycle paths have already been renewed and there are four bike rental shops in the city.

These results cast a shadow over the progress made in some of the country's larger cities. The ADFC bicycle climate test shows an overall slight improvement in the cycling climate in Germany, with large cities such as Frankfurt am Main and Hanover achieving good results, while others, such as Berlin, stand out negatively due to a lack of commitment.

These results make it clear that there is still a lot to do and that cities are required to take the needs of cyclists seriously. Anyone who thinks that cycling in the region should be easy and safe will face some challenges.

For more information and the interactive map of the ADFC bicycle climate test results, visit the official website ADFC or take a look at in-depth coverage from MAZ Online and ADFC article.