The Global Institute for Urban and Regional Sustainability (GIURS)

Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration (SHUES)

East China Normal University (ECNU)

Shanghai · 200241 · China

BICYCLES IN CHINA

The Lost of the Kingdom of Bicycles Lin Lin, PhD

Outline

Background Lost of the Kingdom of Bicycles 1980s 1990s 2000s

Objective of the paper Factors contribute to the lost motorization of China transportation policies Rapid urban expansion

Outcomes

Background

China was a bicycle kingdom. Bike travels were composed 40% to 60%

of daily trips in urban China in 1980s and 1990s.

China became the largest automobile market in the world in 2008.

Lost of the Kingdom of Bicycles

Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou Hangzhou Tianjin Shenzhen Shijiazhuang

Dongguang

1980s 50.28% (1986)

30.5% (1981) 40.3% (1986)

34.1% (1984)

1990s 38.5% (2000)

43.9% (1991) 37.8 % (1995)

42.8% (2000)

77.6% (1993) 52.8% (2000)

54.7% (2000)

2000s 23% (2007), 19.7% (2009)

25.0% (2004) 13.5％ (2009)

14% (2006)

33.5% (2007)

14.27% (2001)

20.80% (2003)

2010s

30.50%

40.30% 43.90%

37.80%

25.00%

13.50%

50.82%

38.50%

23% 19.70%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

1981 1986 1991 1995 2000 2004 2007 2009

Cycling Mode Share of All Trips

Shanghai

Beijing

Objective of the paper

This paper is to examine the lost of Kingdom of Bicycles from the perspectives of The rising motorization of China Changes of the transportation policies Changes of the urban built environment

Motorization in China – 1

Increased private car ownership Private car ownership started in 1995 10 million in 2003 became the largest automobile market in

the world in 2008 114 million in 2012 For example, in Shanghai, mode share of

automobile trips from 7.9% in 1995 to 20.0% in 2009.

Motorization in China – 2

Increased electronic bikes Annual electric bike sales in China grew

from 40,000 in 1998 to 10 million in 2005 For example, in Shanghai, mode share of

e-bike increased from 3% in 1995 to 15.2% in 2009

Motorization in China – 3

Increased investment in public transportation Shanghai has the first subway line in 1993. In 2012, there

were 12 subway lines with a total of 439 km. Subway has continued expanding.

Beijing has the first subway line in 1969. It has grown to 17 lines with a total of 456 km.

In addition, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Shenyang, Chengdu, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Kunming, etc. have subway systems.

38 cities will have at least one line by the end of the decade.

Transportation Policy Changes

In 1994, Chinese center government started to encourage the development of automobile industry.

Many Chinese cities implemented policies that restricted the development of bicycles from 1990s to very recent. “Bike Free City” – Dalian in the early 2000s Shanghai banned bicycles from certain downtown roads in 2004

Since 2011, the Chinese government has made a U-turn in transportation policy, encouraging its citizens to get back in the saddle through bike share programs. Hangzhou bike share program starting in 2008 Dalian started bike share program in 2011

Rapid Urban Expansion

Rapid urbanization 26% population in urban areas in 1990

increased to 50% in 2011 Rapid urban expansion Guangzhou increased 35% between

1996 and 2004

Increased travel distance

Outcomes

Air pollution Traffic congestion

Health concerns

Well-Known Bike Cities Around the World

Copenhagen has about one third of trips on bikes in 2012. Amsterdam has a bike modal share of

38%. London aims to have 5% of all daily

trips by bike by 2025.

The Global Institute for Urban and Regional Sustainability (GIURS)

Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration (SHUES)

East China Normal University (ECNU)

Shanghai · 200241 · China

Thank you!

Lin Lin llin@re.ecnu.edu.cn