I happened to be in the city of Leipzig for a few days last month, and was struck by the abundant cycling culture there. So I took quite few photos and gathered my impressions. I had meant to post this earlier after my return, but I needed a break and couldn't be bothered until now. Seems quite relevant considering the discussions around how to improve Edinburgh for cycling.
So, Leipzig. It has a population of around half a million, smaller than Edinburgh's by about 60,000 people. It has a very old university, and historically was a significant centre for publishing. Heavily bombed during WW2, it became an important centre in the former DDR, so like most cities of the former East has good public transport, including trams. In recent years the city's visual art scene has gained an international reputation.
The first thing I noticed after leaving the train from the airport was the numbers of bicycles. Hundreds parked outside the station, for example.
Also lots of cyclists in evidence everywhere.
Note the cycle lanes running parallel to pavements. This is a typical Socialist era wide boulevard, so plenty of space for motor traffic, bikes and pedestrians.
I kept noticing one way streets with exceptions for bicycles in the narrower streets of the old town. I like the use of the word 'frei' in this context. Here it would be 'Except bicycles', I prefer the German version.
Lots of bike parking everywhere, and well used. Even next to chi-chi boutiques in the equivalent of Multrees Walk or George Street.
In parallel with provision of cycle facilities, lots of underground car parks to keep cars from cluttering the streets. A simple, yet effective way of organising the urban environment. I presume there is a fairly long standing planning policy in this regard.
Also lots of shared use pavements, many segregated in a Meadows style, some just shared use with no noticeable conflict.
This image gives an idea how many people cycle in the city. After a very hot day (33 centigrade) thunderstorms came down overnight. On this path in a park, the tyre tracks in this muddy patch tell the story. The path was otherwise largely deserted when I walked it mid-morning.
I would say about two-thirds of riders I saw were women. Middle aged mums and older women were in evidence as well as students and young professionals. Only a very few riders wore helmets, all wore normal clothes. Quite a diversity of bicycles, though the majority were 'European city bikes' (some might say Dutch but I think that's too restrictive). A lot of what Germans call 'trekking' bikes too (riser or trekking bar hybrids with dynamo lights and mudguards, basically); a fair number of MTBs, some drop bar touring/road bikes as well. Oh and a smattering of cargo bikes.
The city has a bike hire scheme, and there were lots of hire bikes dotted around. I did not see anyone using them, and I did not have time to do so myself. You phone a number to register and then there's a hire charge.
Very impressive was the bicycle parking facility underneath the university student union. I couldn't resist going in for a peek. If only they would build something like this under the new Potterrow!
On a trip to the 'bohemian art quarter' of Leipzig (where the hipsters live) I checked out some interesting bike shops. Here a funky boho repair shop:
Here a trendy custom frame/bike builder in the Spinnerei gallery quarter.
Local police officers running a bike registration stall in the park.
I asked my hosts about the cycle infrastructure and apparently most of it is very recent. The big boulevards were allegedly without much in the way of road markings at all until recently! So I suppose this shows what can happen with political will.
Frankly I was impressed by the large numbers of cyclists, and the way the city has accommodated this mode of transport. Drivers were clearly used to cyclists at junctions and were careful and attentive from what I saw.
I should add caveats: Leipzig is as flat as a pancake, it sits in the middle of a large plain, there is nothing resembling a hill anywhere near. I visited during the week, so the cycling demographic may have been different to the weekend one. Also the weather was fantastic during my brief stay so this may have boosted cyclist numbers.
The one thing that is really different about Leipzig compared to most cities in Scotland/UK is that cycling is just *normal*. It's an accepted part of everyday life in a way that seems to have been forgotten here.
posts
