In Prague, the number of people commuting to work by bike has significantly increased, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the coronavirus pandemic had and still has many negative impacts not only on the economy but also on transportation in the Czech Republic and other countries, there are certainly some positive aspects that are now emerging in many sectors. Among the positive impacts of the COVID-19 virus epidemic can now be included the increase in cycling in Prague, which compared to the same period last year increased by up to 60%.
As stated by the Prague server Čistou stopou, the use of bicycles as a means of transport on the way to and from work increased by up to 47%. The reasons for this increase in personal transport can of course be easily guessed, and one of them is the fear of people traveling in public transport systems, where there is a higher concentration of people. These methods of transport, on the contrary, have seen a decline across the country but are now slowly returning to normal, and transport companies are thus tallying their losses.
From an ecological point of view, not only Prague can rejoice in the growth of cycling, which will relieve the already overloaded traffic in cities and also help to improve air quality. Therefore, Prague should now, following the example of other European metropolises, actively focus on this form of transport and adjust the options for cyclists to move around the city, for example, through special bike lanes, bike stands, and, last but not least, the installation of chargers for e-bikes, which are becoming an increasingly attractive option not only for urban traffic.
