ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF CYCLING ON A LOCAL SCALE: ESTIMATION OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL, ENERGY, AND HEALTH IMPACTS IN PORTUGAL

Abstract

Research on sustainable urban mobility has highlighted the value of the bicycle and its economic, social, and environmental benefits. However, despite the consensus on the positive aspects, the paradigm shift that allows the bicycle to be affirmed as a means of daily commuting faces many challenges, especially in contexts where it is rarely used. In Portugal, according to the 2011 Census only 0.5% of the population uses the bicycle in their daily urban mobility. It is in this context that the BOOST project developed a Roadmap for Starter Cities that integrates the estimation of the potential economic value of cycling at a local scale. The results show that an increase of about 2% in the modal share of the bicycle in 10 years, in the whole of Portuguese municipalities, can correspond to annual cost reductions of more than 1.1 million euros in CO2 emissions, to almost 25 million euros in fuel consumption and 500 thousand euros in air quality. As for the health benefits, the reduction in mortality associated with physical activity and the reduction of air pollution represent a potential positive economic impact of more than 140 million euros in 10 years for Portugal. In this sense, it is possible to conclude that more sustainable travel patterns and in which the bicycle assumes a more relevant position in urban mobility will have economic impacts, at least in terms of health, energy, and environment.