"OECD’s Mission ‘Better Policies for Better Lives’ in action in Paris

Haven't we all heard about Paris as a cycling city? Or no, we haven't. It's Copenhagen and Amsterdam that always get highlighted when we talk about cycling cities.

Years ago, when I was studying for my master’s in sustainable urban development, we had a guest lecture by a researcher who focused on Copenhagen's cycling infrastructure.

Copenhagen wasn’t always a cycling city. It has been persistent work from the city that made the infrastructure you see today possible. The fact that they didn’t have the money after World War II to invest in car infrastructure with large ring roads like Stockholm certainly helped. But this is clearly the result of bold cycling policies.

Those words from that lecture have stayed with me ever since. It’s easy to say, “Well, it’s Copenhagen, there are no hills, and it’s always been like that.” But no, as the researcher clearly illustrated in the lecture, it’s about having a clear and brave strategy to make the city cycle-friendly.

At the “System Innovation Summit” conference in London, I listen to brilliant Mariana Mirabile from the OECD, who is on the same track. She is currently working on two pilot projects where the OECD is supporting cities to achieve their net-zero goals through new and revised policies to reduce CO2 emissions. Traffic is, of course, a key policy issue to dive into, and the work being done in Dublin is impressive. Mariana emphasizes, “You can’t make a city cycle-friendly without taking away space from cars. It simply can’t be done. Something has to give, and it’s about having the courage to reduce the space for motorists.”

Before arriving in Paris, I had, of course, heard about how their mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has a goal to add 130 kilometers of bike-safe pathways from 2021 to 2026. The goal is for Paris to be completely cyclable by 2026. But this isn’t free; France has invested 250 million euros to achieve this. Part of the effort also includes teaching children to ride bikes in schools, adding repair workshops in every district, and encouraging cycling tourism. How will Paris become a fully cyclable city by 2026? | World Economic Forum.

You can tell.

I’m standing at Gare du Nord, having just gotten off the train from London, wondering whether I should take the metro or try out these bike lanes I’ve been reading about. Since I was able to leave my luggage with a lovely lady in London and only have a backpack, I realize that cycling is indeed an option. I pull up the app and thank the gods that I’m now in an EU country where I can Google without worrying about a crazy phone bill when I get home.

I quickly realize that Vélib seems to be the solution for me, and I buy a three-day pass with unlimited use for 20 euros. There’s an option to choose between e-bikes and regular bikes, but I can only use the e-bikes five times for 45 minutes each, instead of 60 minutes for the regular ones. I happily place my backpack in the bike basket and secure my phone in the handy little plastic holder so I can navigate to the hostel where I’ve booked a room. (These holders turned out to be less handy in the rain—oh well, at least it was a good attempt, though they could’ve tested them in different weather conditions first!)

Once on my way, I see something I never thought I’d witness: French people wearing helmets. Not all of them, but far more than in, say, Copenhagen or Amsterdam. This makes me a little worried—it might be a sign that the traffic is pretty hectic.

And it is. Over my three days, I realize that many Parisians have discovered the joy of cycling. There are lots of cyclists, and the pace is fast. Bike bells ring constantly, and taxi drivers and tourists don’t always look too happy as cyclists zoom by, often without stopping at red lights. A woman overtakes me and yells something in French. Probably that I’m cycling too slowly!

But it’s fantastic to see. London and Paris are like night and day when it comes to accessibility and cyclist adaptation. Paris' cycling plans are clearly evident in the city's traffic, and I’m a bit amazed. I park my bike outside the OECD headquarters for a meeting with the OECD Foresight team. It would be almost negligent not to test the city’s new cycling policy when you’re about to meet with the OECD, whose mission is "Better policies for better lives."

If there’s something we need, it’s bold mayors around the world who dare to create cycling policies that benefit city dwellers’ lives. It’s not always pretty, but then again, it’s not finished yet either. On some roads, thousands of meters of steel barriers wind along to protect cyclists (which I’m grateful for, given how Parisians drive). But you can bike without any issues. Perhaps London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, should focus a little less on designing sleek double-deckers and a bit more on making it possible to actually cycle in the city.*

But next time, I’m bringing my helmet.

*I know it wasn’t Sadiq who designed the new buses :)