Podcast
Is Lisbon a city for bicycles? At Mobi Boom, Luísa Sousa and Diego Cavalcanti, researchers and co-authors of the book “Cycling Cities: The Lisbon Experience”, deconstruct the myth of the seven hills and point to the ambition of following the Amsterdam model. Listen to the podcast written by Luís Costa Branco here
For Luísa Sousa and Diego Cavalcanti, the history of cycling in Lisbon is much richer than common sense suggests — and is full of myths to be deconstructed. “Lisbon didn’t have a cycling past”, was what was said, even among academics. The book “Cycling Cities: The Lisbon Experience”, of which they are co-authors, showed the opposite. Not only do more than 70% of Lisbon’s streets have less than a 5% slope, but in 1901 the first proposal for a cycle path was presented — for Avenida da Liberdade. “We still don’t have it today”, notes Luísa Sousa.
Historical records of bicycle licenses paint a surprising portrait of bicycle users: locksmiths, civil servants, military personnel, domestic workers, students. Only in the mid-60s of the 20th century did the number of car licenses surpass that of bicycles. “INE decided not to publish this data from 70 onwards, because the idea was that the bicycle was destined for obsolescence”, explains Luísa Sousa. In 1950, bicycles represented 40% of all vehicles in circulation in the country.
The tension between car and bicycle is not new, but it has worsened with decades of car-centric urban planning. “How do you change urban policy and infrastructure if you don’t also change the ideas and concepts that create this urban space?” asks Diego Cavalcanti.
Regarding Lisbon today, the diagnosis is cautious. The cycle network has grown, but inconsistently and the recent past is a bit worrying. “We have a patchwork in a number of places, there were cycle paths that were dismantled, like on Avenida de Berna”, criticizes Luísa Sousa, who calls for a clear political vision. “Is there the courage to do what Amsterdam did in the 70s?”
On the horizon, shared bicycles and intermodality appear as levers for change. “As alternatives are offered, it doesn’t just have to be the bicycle. The need for the car was generated a posteriori — we can also design a future in which there are bicycles”, concludes Diego Cavalcanti.
Listen to the full episode at the top of this page.
Here is the photo mentioned during the conversation, with D. Maria Pia de Sabóia riding a bicycle at the Queluz Palace
Furthermore, there is also this record in Serra de Sintra.
The way we move defines how we live. Mobi Boom is a weekly podcast about mobility, innovation and quality of life in cities. From electric cars to smart neighborhoods, we explore the ideas, technologies and trends that are transforming the urban fabric and our quality of life. If you believe in greener, more humane and practical cities, this podcast is for you. New episode every Sunday.
Mobi Boom is an Expresso podcast, produced by Tale House, and the first season is supported by Kinto.
