One third of working people in Amsterdam cycle to work
January 6, 2012 by René Teeuwen
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One third of the working people in Amsterdam cycle to work. This is almost 128,000 inhabitants of Amsterdam, of which 120,000 are working in the city and nearly 8,000 inhabitants who work outside the city. This research is done by Research and Statistics of the municipality (Dienst Onderzoek en Statistiek).
The bicycle is the most popular means of transport among the more than 280,000 people who work in the city of Amsterdam. Of these, 43% cycle to work, which are a total of over 120,000 people. This doesn’t mean that 120,000 people cycle every weekday to and from their work. Over 40% of those who cycle to work, work 32 hours or less per week. Public transport comes in second place (35%) and nearly one quarter travels by car to work.
Inhabitants from Amsterdam who work outside the city (around 106,800 people) use the car (54%) or public transport (39%). A small minority (7%) cycles to cities like Amstelveen and Diemen. It appears that inhabitants who live in the centre (59%), south (57%) and west (57%) cycle most to work. This is in 25% in new-west and north, and in the south this is 17%. People who live in the south east mainly take public transportation to work, while residents of new west and north often go by car.
It makes a big difference whether the job is located in the central district or in another part of Amsterdam. Of all residents who work in the centre of Amsterdam 60% of them cycle to work, and those who work elsewhere in the city take 38% the bike.
The people who cycle are mostly highly educated people, native and western-immigrants and ethnic minorities and women ride on a bike. Non-western immigrants are much less likely to ride a bike to work. Yet cycling among this group also relates to education. Because highly educated non-western immigrants bike to work more often than low educated non-western immigrants, they often take public transport. People working in sectors like education, government and culture cycle most. In contrast, relatively few inhabitants of Amsterdam cycle to work in construction, industry and transport. They often take the (company)car.