The Impact of Bike-Sharing Systems on Congestion. Evidence from European Urban Areas

Abstract

Bike-sharing systems are a popular measure adopted by local governments to promote sustainable urban transportation and reduce negative externalities coming from an excessive use of cars. In this article I assess the impact of bike-sharing systems on one of those externalities: congestion. Using data collected from 115 European urban areas during the period 2008–2016, I identify the effect of bike-sharing systems by using a fixed effects model. The results suggest that bike-sharing systems are effective in reducing congestion, and that their impact increases with population size until reaching a threshold and decreases with income level.

Keywords: Bike Sharing Systems, Sustainable Urban Transportation, Congestion, Public Policy Evaluation, European cities