Cftcrps

To paraphrase H.G. Wells: Every time we see hundreds of bicycles parked outside a high school, we no longer despair for the future of the human race.

To many Dutch people, it barely registers. But this scene represents something profound: freedom and autonomy for young people; without the stress, cost, or danger that comes with needing a driver’s license.

In the Netherlands, teenagers don’t have to wait until adulthood to move independently through their city. Safe cycling networks give them access to school, sport, work, and friends from an early age.

And they take advantage of it. Nationally, 60% of all teenage trips are by bike, making them among the biggest beneficiaries of decades of investment in protected infrastructure and calmed streets.

This is what mobility freedom looks like. 🚲

With tight budgets and political pushback, policymakers in Cardiff, Wales, are pitching bike lanes that serve other green purposes like flood and habitat protection, writes Laura Laker. Tap the link to read their perspective: bloom.bg/4dDwY3X

📷️: Getty Images

Firefly Trail at The Loop.