The European Cycling Federation has announced the winners of the Velo-city 2023 competition. This year, Helsingborg (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Essen, and Heidelberg (both Germany) became the best cycling cities in Europe.
Oslo was noted for road safety: if in 2014 only 9% of residents considered the city safe for cycling, now this figure is 31%. In particular, the city has a speed limit for cars of 30 kilometers per hour.
Heidelberg received an award for improving cycling. In 2022 alone, the city reported a 17% increase in the number of cyclists. The local authorities subsidize the purchase of bicycles and have a program to create bicycle routes between urban and rural areas.
Helsingborg has won the award for the best cycling infrastructure. In particular, the jury noted the curved bridge Varvsbronn, which connects the new districts with the city center.
Essen received the award for sponsoring local organizations promoting cycling.