UK cities are a long way off having widespread, good quality cycling infrastructure, but that’s the enviable position Copenhagen found itself in almost 20 years ago – and arguably what allowed the city the time and resources to develop its ‘green wave’ concept.
Up until 2004, traffic lights were coordinated in favour of cars, but the green wave innovation phases traffic lights to give cyclists a tech-based tailwind. If it detects a group of cyclists, lights stay green up ahead until they pass.
Not to be outshone by the capital, the city of Odense built on the idea to encourage more cycling on rainy days. Rain sensors in traffic lights along their cycle highways work in tandem with motion detectors, which automatically prolonging the green light phase for up to 20 seconds at a time when cyclists are detected.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that 49 per cent of all trips to work or school in Copenhagen are now by bike, a figure up by almost 15 percentage points over the last decade. The City has pledged the equivalent of £40 per capita in bicycle infrastructure investments – more than double the sum spent in London.
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
Hilary
Ah, traffic lights which detect bikes! I’ve more than once sat at a red light and realised the lights had gone through their whole cycle without my light turning green – because there was no car for them to detect. 🙁