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3mo ago

Cycling Traffic Stalls in Hamburg Despite Hundreds of Kilometers of New Bike Lanes

Data from early 2025 show only a 1.75 percent rise in daily cycling even after the addition of 65 kilometers of lanes

Radfahrer an der Lombardsbrücke in Hamburg auf einem rot markierten Fahrradweg
Während Corona kam es zu einem regelrechten Fahrrad-Boom. Doch zuletzt stiegen die Zahlen kaum noch. (Symbolbild)

Overview

  • Bike traffic grew by just 1.75 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, indicating near stagnation.
  • Average weekday cycling counts increased only 1.3 percent between 2021 and 2024 and declined by about 1 percent in 2024 versus 2023.
  • The Hamburg Senate reports that 65 kilometers of bike lanes were built or renovated in 2024 and a total of 293 kilometers over the past five years.
  • The share of trips by public transport, walking and cycling rose from 61 percent in 2008 to 71 percent in 2023 while motorized individual traffic has steadily fallen.
  • CDU traffic expert Philipp Heißner criticizes the expansion as arbitrary and calls for a demand-driven, pragmatic traffic policy.