It’s common sense that traveling by bicycle is cheaper than by car, but how much cheaper?
A recent study conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden along with Australian colleagues have found that bike travel is six times cheaper than car travel. The researchers conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the situation in Copenhagen, where bike travel is a priority, analyzing the cost to society by cars and how they compare with bikes in terms of air pollution, climate change, paths used, road wear, health and congestion.
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According to researcher Stefan Gössling, if you consider the costs to society and the individual, driving a car costs about 0.50 euros per kilometer while riding a bike is 0.08 euros per kilometer. Then again, time is money for the majority of people out there and traveling by car tends to get you to your destination faster.
The study also showed that looking at only the costs and benefits for society, traveling one kilometer by car costs 0.15 euros while society earns 0.16 euros per kilometer cycled.
“The cost-benefit analysis in Copenhagen shows that investments in cycling infrastructure and bike-friendly policies are economically sustainable and give high returns,” said Stefan Gössling.
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[Source: The Star Phoenix]
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