Helsinki ranks world's 10th best cycling city

The City of Helsinki has been ranked the 10th best cycling city in the world in the latest edition of the Copenhagenize Index, said a City of Helsinki bulletin.

The ranking is Helsinki’s best ever in this index, which is produced by the Copenhagenize Design Co., a planning and design agency, once in every two years.

Helsinki was placed at the 18th position on the 2017 index.

Copenhagenize’s assessment acknowledges Helsinki’s ambitious goals for cycling, plans for an extensive cycling route network and the construction of new routes.

City of Helsinki Cycling Coordinator Reetta Keisanen expressed her delight at the ranking outcome.

“The construction of state-of-the-art cycling routes in Helsinki is a result of work carried out over several years. It’s magnificent that our work wins an international award. It tells us that we’re on the right course, and we’ll continue our efforts so we’ll climb on the index step by step,” Keisanen said.

Helsinki also received recommendations for further development. Despite the progress, the implementation of the Helsinki cycling route network and its funding should be accelerated. Other drawbacks in Helsinki, according to the assessment, include the closure of the bike-share system for the winter season and lack of government inputs in the funding of cycling routes.

“Next we’ll focus on the said drawbacks to accelerate the implementation of the cycling route network and to improve the quality of the network,” Keisanen continued.

Other awarded cities set good examples for Helsinki, such as Oslo, which resembles Helsinki in terms of cycling conditions. Oslo rose by several ranks on the index. The city has hired 20 persons to promote cycling.

In addition, top-ranking Copenhagen now serves as a model for Helsinki, as the city is a mentor for Helsinki in the EU-funded HANDSHAKE project. Cities collaborate in this project to develop cycling solutions.

Helsinki – as other cities worldwide – develop cycling as a means to create a safer, more enjoyable and more functional city. The more people choose to walk, cycle and use public transport rather than drive, increasing numbers of people can move smoothly in the city.

Helsinki was presented the award at the annual Velo-City cycling conference. The award was received by Reetta Keisanen and key persons who have developed cycling solutions in Helsinki, including representatives of the City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division, Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), Helsinki City Transport (HKL), consultants and the cycling network Pyöräilykuntien verkosto.