In France every day, more than half a million working people prefer the bicycle (classic or electrically assisted) for their commute to work.[1]. In full swing, the cycle market exploded in 2020[2], and now represents more than 3 billion euros in turnover, a 25% jump compared to 2019.
Private users of public transport during the strikes, then invited to social distancing to fight against the health crisis have voted for the tracks.
Thousands of km of cycle paths to encourage soft mobility
An economical, fast and ecological alternative to public transport and other traffic jams during rush hour, the practice of going to work by bicycle has become widely democratized in recent years. However in France, still 7 out of 10 employees drive to work, which makes the commute to work the leading sector emitting greenhouse gases, i.e. around 30% of emissions. An alarming figure that has prompted institutions to invest more than € 350 million in favor of cycling with the objective of tripling by 2024, the share of cycling in everyday travel, from 3 to 9%. Massive support such as Cycling Plan (construction of safe and reliable cycle paths), Electric Bike Bonus (purchase assistance), Bicycle shelter (to park and secure them) or the Mobility Plan (which aims to find alternatives to private cars) testify to the craze for soft mobility.
In the city of Paris alone, the practice has exploded with 71% more passages on the tracks compared to 2019. The capital has the largest number of velotafeurs; nearly 100,000 of them use bicycles as their primary means of transportation. The metropolises of Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Grenoble and Nantes follow in terms of the number of users. France now has nearly 19,000 km of cycle paths and aspires to reach the ambitious objective of 25,587 km in 2030. These provisions are well received by cyclists who see in this the possibility of combining daily physical activity with a need for business travel.
Added to this is the ecological aspect, a Frenchman on average 10 tonnes of CO2 per year ; when 1,000 employees use their bicycles, the equivalent of 200 tonnes of CO2 are saved[3]. A powerful argument that has won over companies and employees concerned with preserving the environment.
Home-work mobility at the heart of the company’s responsibility
The objectives of carbon neutrality and the reduction of global warming by 2050 are considerable challenges for companies. Home-work mobility is a fundamental subject, at the heart of social dialogue in companies where no less than 67% of employees want their employer to play a role in the development of new forms of mobility.[4].
Concretely, what can the employer do? Exempt from social charges for the company and tax for the employee, the Sustainable Mobility Package (500 € / year / employee) allows the employer to reinvent professional travel and encourage its employees to opt for mobility gentle. However, encouraging soft mobility implies making the company responsible for these journeys and requires setting up the infrastructure (parking, maintenance, etc.) and the conditions (safety, training, etc.) to best support its employees. If all the conditions seem to be met to promote a return to the saddle, there is nonetheless a particular mode of transport that requires the employee to be supported in his approach. Cycling can sometimes sound like a constraint (fear, traffic, capricious weather) and frighten employees. In 2020, we recorded a 35% increase in bicycle accidents in the capitalThis increase is certainly relative given the extent of the development of the practice.
Often ignored, the highway code applies to cyclists in the same way as to all users. In order to guarantee everyone’s safety, cyclists must respect a certain number of rules, in town or outside town; Day and night. While pedestrians and cyclists are exposed to almost similar risks (falls, collisions) on their home-work journey, there are training courses, tutorials, e-learning programs and other professional organizations that offer to supervise this momentum of bike in good condition. A reminder of the basics for a bike rider, whether experienced or novice: the choice of the right safety equipment (helmets, bell, lighting), mirrors, visible and waterproof clothing (rain capes, ponchos, pants), revision of the bikes (brakes adjusted, chains lubricated, tires inflated correctly). The French Cycling Federation, for its part, offers training through its team of “bicycle mobility coaches”. An operation that contributes to increasing the autonomy and daily mobility of precarious people.
Making the choice to support its employees towards soft mobility while ensuring their safety undoubtedly improves their well-being and enhances its employer brand. The observation has already been made among our European neighbors, the more the practice of cycling becomes more democratic, the more the risk of accident decreases. The phenomenon of “safety by numbers” works for cyclists as well as for pedestrians. The more numerous of them circulate, the more they become part of the public space and become predictable for other users. The better they are seen and trained, the lower the risk of an accident.
[1] Source : https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/5013868
[2] Source : https://www.unionsportcycle.com/fr/
[3] Estimate in relation to an average non-emitted CO2 level of 120 g per km and a distance traveled of 5 km / day in relation to the following figures: https://datagir.ademe.fr/apps/mon-impact-transport/
[4] Source : Opinion Way novembre 2019
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