Ghent ranks third most bicycle-friendly city worldwide
In the latest Copenhagenize Index, the leading international ranking of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities, Ghent took third place, VRT NWS reported on Wednesday. The Dutch city of Utrecht tops the list, followed by Copenhagen.
The report gives a highly positive account of Ghent’s achievements, describing the city as “an inspiration for others around the globe”. Ghent ranks ahead of Amsterdam, Paris and Helsinki, while Antwerp also performs strongly, coming in eighth place.
Compiled biennially by the Danish consultancy Copenhagenize Design Company, the Copenhagenize Index assesses cities using 13 criteria, including the quality of infrastructure, cycling safety, parking policy, and the allocation of urban space between cars and bicycles. The evaluation is contributed to by mobility experts and researchers.
Ghent received an overall score of 67.6 out of 100, compared to 71.1 for Utrecht and 70.8 for Copenhagen. The report notes that Ghent has had a clear cycling strategy in place since 1992, identifying the introduction of the 2017 circulation plan as a decisive turning point.
According to the Index, cycling in Ghent has increased significantly, reshaping the city in the process. 'Smart urban planning and bold decisions have made Ghent not only bicycle-friendly, but also people-friendly,' the report concludes. Antwerp earned eighth place globally with 64.4 points, and was praised for expanding bicycle parking in its dense city centre, and for promoting inclusive cycling across all age groups and backgrounds.
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