A new study by scientists says there's a quantifiable reduction in the vehicle tailpipe emissions that contribute to global warming when people are tempted by bike-friendly routes instead of driving.
And it's a bargain basement deal. "The greenhouse gas benefit from adding low-cost new cycling infrastructure can be as important as other more costly strategies," say the scientists in a new study.
For a 7% increase in the length of a city's cycle path network, greenhouse gas emissions can fall by 2%, they say. If that seems like a small return on investment, it's excellent compared to the cost of greening public transport.
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The scientists calculate that to get the same cutback in GHG levels in a major international city, Montreal, all of its diesel buses would have to be converted to hybrid technology and all of its commuter trains would have to be electrified.
That's not a cheap option compared to boosting cycling. "A 40-foot hybrid bus costs Can$450,00 (£250,000)," the scientists say, "It's equivalent to [building] approximately 5.5 km (3.5 miles) of cycle tracks."
So, creating more cycle facilities should be a no-brainer for city bosses keen to do their bit to reduce global warming.
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