The number of participants in the Swiss “bike to work” challenge has increased, recovering from the slump experienced during the first wave of Covid-19 in 2020, a report said.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jcb
Between May and June over 60,000 people took part in the “bike to work” challenge, saving the equivalent of almost 2,250 tonnes of CO2 by ditching the car in favour of cycling to work, the organisation Pro Velo Switzerland said in the report.
The cyclists rode a combined distance of 15.6 million kilometres, 39 times the distance from the earth to the moon. The number of people taking on the challenge grew by over 12,000 compared with the year before, and 40% of the participants started cycling to work for the first time, the organisation announced on Wednesday.
Pro Velo claims that the uptick follows a 32% decrease in participation experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite rebounding, the number of individuals engaging with the challenge has not reached the record high of almost 72,000 set in 2019.
The nationwide initiative was started in 2005 by Pro Velo and has grown in popularity ever since. Prizes worth a total of CHF120,000 ($130,000) are used to motivate individuals and companies to join the challenge.
More
More
Coronavirus fuels Swiss bicycling surge
This content was published on
While demand for public transport collapsed during the partial lockdown, bicycle usage soared across the country.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Rhine could warm by up to 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
Defence Minister Pfister stresses importance of Swiss mission in Balkans
This content was published on
During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day
This content was published on
On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.
Swiss launch competition for memorial to Nazi victims
This content was published on
The victims of Nazi Germany are to be commemorated on the Casinoterrasse in Bern. A competition will be held to determine what the site will look like.
This content was published on
The cantonal police of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland have arrested and convicted five cocaine dealers in Chur within a week.
This content was published on
The Swiss business umbrella organisation Economiesuisse and the employers' association broadly support the package of agreements negotiated with the European Union.
Urban dwellers want more bike paths, less traffic noise
This content was published on
Residents in Swiss cities are happy with public transport services, but they would like to see better bicycle infrastructure.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.