bicycle - Saxony follows in city cycling
Riding for a good climate - this is the idea behind the Stadtradeln campaign, which has gained more supporters across Germany every year, including 18 cities in Saxony this year. This is more than last year (11), but in comparison to other federal states, Stadtradeln is not as deeply rooted in Saxony, according to Sebastian Reisch, spokesperson for the Climate Alliance.
The campaign aims for people to ride their bikes for as many of the 21 designated days as possible. Riding a bike as an eco-friendly means of transportation is meant to raise awareness. A commune participating in Stadtradeln can join in. The kilometers ridden are recorded, and winning communes are recognized in various categories every year.
Leipzig and Dresden have been participating for a long time
Leipzig was the first city in Saxony to join the campaign in 2009. Last year, it ranked third among large cities with over 500,000 inhabitants. The Leipzig residents and Leipzigers covered more than 3.5 million kilometers during the campaign period. Dresden is also among the pioneers of Stadtradeln, according to the Climate Alliance.
Compared to other federal states, the 18 participating Saxon cities are relatively few. In Rhineland-Palatinate, a state similar in size to Saxony, 124 communes are participating this year. In Saxony-Anhalt, there are 31 communes, and in Thuringia, there are 36.
"One reason for this could be that Saxony is the only federal state that does not financially support the participation of its communes," explained Bundnis-spokesperson Reisch. In many other federal states, support has led to increased participation. Saxony-Anhalt began supporting the campaign in 2023 with noticeable results. The number of participating communes there was only four the previous year.
Free State examines funding
The Saxon Ministry of Transport stated that it welcomes the Stadtradeln campaign and recognizes its positive impact. However, it cannot financially support the participation fees "for various reasons unfortunately not yet been able to." The ministry is currently examining how to support the participation of Saxon communes in the future. Since the administration is committed to efficiency and frugality, the administrative costs must also be considered.
Last year, 2,835 communes participated in Stadtradeln nationwide. Approximately 1.1 million people took part. They rode a combined total of 228 million kilometers.
- Despite Leipzig and Dresden being pioneers in promoting Stadtradeln in Saxony, other federal states like Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt have more communes participating in the campaign.
- Riding a bicycle for environmental reasons is a key aspect of Stadtradeln, which has gained support from 18 cities in Saxony this year, with Leipzig being the first to join in 2009.
- Saxony-Anhalt, recognizing the benefits of Stadtradeln, began financially supporting the campaign in 2023, leading to a significant increase in participating communes from four to over thirty.
- The possibility of funding support for Saxon communes in Stadtradeln is currently under examination by the Saxon Ministry of Transport, with considerations being given to the administrative costs and efficiency.
- With the combined efforts of participating communes and individuals, the Stadtradeln campaign nationwide saw 2,835 communes take part last year, covering a impressive total of 228 million kilometers on bicycles.
