Will Covid-19 Catalyze Big-city Cycling?

Cities across the world have largely been shut down to slow the spread of Covid-19.  Let’s face it, while economical, tightly packed buses, tubes, and trains are petri dishes for highly contagious viruses.  We’ve said since the beginning that fresh air is your friend, fact check this here. Dr. Noyko at UCLH agrees, and had more to add: “I believe cycling in this pandemic offers multiple benefits such as fitness, less exposure risk in comparison to commute on the public transport, builds stamina and improves lung capacity.”  Improved stamina and lung capacity has a major advantage in normal day life too, especially considering that heart disease is the #1 cause of death world-wide.

To expand on this, we administered a poll for NHS workers across London.  We asked 2 questions: 

Why do you choose to cycle during this pandemic?
100% of the respondents answered “Because cycling is safest from virus transmission.

Will you continue to cycle once your day-to-day normalizes?
Again, 100% of respondents answered “yes they plan to continue cycling Post- Covid19.”  

Our healthcare professionals are keen on cycling their commute, which speaks volumes to the benefits it offers.  However, there is concern that cities, employers, and individuals will not use this crisis as a warning to properly encourage cycling into our daily lives.

Cities

Please fund more safe cycling infrastructure.  You will see a return on your investment with healthier and more active citizens.  Not to mention, bicycles are much nicer to roads and other infrastructure than vehicles.

Businesses

Bring cycling to the workplace.  Incentivise employees who cycle to work or even provide a small fleet of bicycles at the office for employee use.  Studies show cycle to work schemes yield happier, healthier, and more productive employees.  A plethora of information provided by the UK Department of Transport can be found here to help you choose the best option for your company.  Plus, there are great bike sharing companies to make this process as simple as possible, including routine bike maintenance and even no-risk trial runs. 

Individuals

If you can, give cycling a chance.  Ask your employer if they are willing to do a trial company-bike program.  Imagine the time you will save by getting your daily exercise whilst you commute to work.  Your mind, body, and schedule will thank you later.

Now is the time to keep pushing.  Our cities are bursting at their seams with unprecedented traffic congestion, deadly pandemics, and life-altering air pollution.  Cycling is not the only solution, but it is an irrefutable one.  It’s time to start cycling.