"Essen Ranks Second-to-Last Among Cities with Over 500K Residents - ADFC Bicycle Climate Test 2024 Results"
Cyclists in Essen Call for Safer Roads:
A staggering number of residents in Essen participated in the recent nationwide survey, shedding light on a significant issue: the city's cyclists are far from content with traffic safety. The main concern revolves around insufficient or fragmented cycling infrastructure, narrow overtaking lanes, and a general lack of safety. Over half of the respondents gave the city a dismal grade of 4 or lower for safety and cycling climate.
Positive aspects include the availability of public bikes and the approval of one-way streets being used in the opposite direction. However, many improvements remain unrealized, with many announced projects still on hold.
Marc Zietan, the chairman of ADFC Essen, states, "Essen is yet to reach its potential as a bike-friendly city. Despite some progress, cycling here continues to feel stressful and dangerous. Investing in a continuous and safe cycling infrastructure would benefit everyone: less congestion, cleaner air, and improved quality of life. We expect the administration to finally present drafts of cycling projects to politics and implement them."
Regrettably, there are no outstanding cycling projects in Essen. The city administration points to the planned construction of two cycling routes in Huttrop and Katernberg as remarkable achievements. Despite the planning being completed since mid-2024, the political decision on these routes remains pending. It appears the office of the mayor is currently hindering the political handling of these measures.
A particularly concerning development is the disappearance of the bike station at Essen Central Station. The administration was informed of the station's closure two years ago, but no replacement has been provided. Additionally, public bike racks on the north side of the station have been removed, making Essen Central Station likely the only major city station in NRW without usable bike parking facilities.
The people of Essen have unmistakably voiced their desire for a safe, comfortable, and continuous cycling infrastructure. ADFC Essen therefore demands:
- Closing Network Gaps
- Consistent enforcement against illegal parking
- Safe guidance during construction
- More 30 km/h zones and protected intersections
- Reliable bike parking facilities, particularly at train stations
Essen ranked 14th out of 15 cities with over 500,000 inhabitants and 4th out of 5 in the state comparison. Compared to the last test in 2022, Essen remains consistent, only falling behind the neighboring city of Duisburg.
The ADFC Cycling Climate Test is an extensive survey on cyclist satisfaction, conducted worldwide every two years. In 2024, more than 213,000 cyclists participated, with 21% being ADFC members. The test evaluates safety while cycling, quality of bike paths, and perceptions of traffic interactions. To ensure reliable results, at least 50 responses were required per municipality, with larger cities needing at least 75 or 100. Due to its broad civic participation, the test results have high validity and can help municipalities improve their cycling offerings.
ADFC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club) is the largest cycling advocacy group in Germany and worldwide, with over 240,000 members. The ADFC district association of Essen works to improve cycling infrastructure, increase safety, and promote a more livable mobility in Essen. Detailed results of the ADFC Cycling Climate Test 2024 can be found on www.fkt.adfc.de.
Based on general knowledge about ADFC chapters in German cities with traffic safety concerns, their common calls usually include:
- Creation and expansion of separated, protected bike lanes away from traffic
- Improvement of junctions and intersections to minimize conflicts between cyclists and vehicles
- Better maintenance of cycling infrastructure (smooth surfaces, clearing debris)
- More secure and convenient bike parking facilities
- Traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds
- Enhanced signage and wayfinding for cyclists
- Despite some progress, supporters of ADFC Essen believe that Essen needs to improve its cycling infrastructure significantly to become a more bike-friendly city.
- The people of Essen are advocating for safer roads and more comfortable cycling paths, with demands that include the creation of protected bike lanes, better bike parking facilities, and improved junctions and intersections.
