Spain: the Bicing cycle hire scheme, Barcelona

Bicing, the public bicycle sharing initiative in Barcelona, was introduced in March 2007 to increase the rates of cycling in the city.

By August 2009, 182 062 people, or 11% of the population in Barcelona municipality, had subscribed to Bicing, with 68% of trips being used for commuting to work or school and 37% combined with another mode of travel.

Researchers set out to assess the health impact of the Bicing scheme, using the HEAT in combination with other assessment methods.

Using data from Bicing, the researchers found that the mean distance travelled by Bicing on a working day was 3.29 km, with a mean duration of 14.1 minutes, while on weekends the mean distance was 4.15 km and duration was 17.8 minutes.

The researchers used the HEAT to estimate that the current usage of the scheme saved 12.46 lives per year. Using other assessment methods, they calculated the impact of this level of cycling on deaths due to air pollution and road traffic injury, shown in the table below:

This imaginative use of the HEAT alongside other assessment tools for air quality and road traffic injuries shows how important the health benefits of cycling are compared to the relatively minor risks.

The researchers concluded:

“Our work has shown that low cost public bicycle sharing systems aimed at encouraging commuters to cycle are worth implementing in other cities, not only for the health benefits but also for potential co-benefits such as a reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gases.”