City bikes on the rise. Bike sharing is very strong again

• We talked to the president of the leading Polish bicycle systems manager during the 17th European Economic Congress (EEC 2025).
• Tomasz Wojtkiewicz explained that 1.5 billion euros are to be allocated for transport tasks within the Climate Fund. - If we look at the disproportion, 25% of CO2 emissions are generated by transport, of which over 70% is road transport. We believe that this pool should be increased - he noted.
• The Nextbike boss noted that tax changes implemented a few years ago had a negative impact on local government finances, which also affected the approach to bicycle systems. - But bike sharing is very strong again.

During EEC 2025, we asked the president of Nextbike Polska, Tomasz Wojtkiewicz, whether and in what programs local governments can seek external funds for investments that can help develop new mobility, including the use of city bikes.

- We are on the eve of a very promising Climate Fund , which is currently undergoing consultations. As part of Fit for 55, it was created as support, among others, for low-emission transport for countries that are the most affected by the regulations concerning the system for purchasing CO2 emission rights - he informed. - This is fantastic news for local governments, because 12 billion euros will be allocated for Poland for tasks for the implementation of which it will not be necessary to have your own contribution.

He stressed that Poland received the largest share from this fund, over 17 percent.

- This money is for local governments that want to develop ecological transport, low-emission transport, infrastructure, but also to act in all those fields that will make our cities greener and cleaner. We are also talking about renewable energy, wind farms, but also about replacing furnaces - listed Tomasz Wojtkiewicz.

He pointed out, however, that currently EUR 1.5 billion is allocated for transport alone within the above-mentioned pool.

- However, if we look at the disproportion, 25% of CO2 emissions are generated by transport, of which over 70% is road transport. We believe that this pool should be increased - he pointed out. - Above all, however, what we regret the most is the fact that the bicycle has not yet been entered into the act on collective transport as a means of transport. This would help local governments to use many other sources of financing for such projects, because the bicycle will then simply be subject to sectoral orders, for example.

In recent years, cities have had varying approaches to city bike systems, which Nextbike specializes in. Some are developing these systems, others are limiting their operation, or even abandoning them.

- The biggest barrier that we see in local governments, blocking the development of this type of transport branch, is simply financing. In Poland we have had a number of projects already carried out with European funds. These included Lublin and Chorzów , but there were not too many of these projects - he admitted.

Tomasz Wojtkiewicz noted that tax changes implemented several years ago had a negative impact on the finances of local governments, which also affected the approach to bicycle systems.

- City managers must decide which investments they will allocate money for. Besides, at the moment, even debt service or the involvement of own funds in investments are simply so large that there is a lack of these parts for own contribution in the implementation of tasks co-financed from European funds. I think that this is the biggest brake on the development of this type of transport and investments in the country - he commented.

After the Covid period, when the greatest turmoil occurred, Nextbike looks to the future positively.

- Bike sharing is very strong again and is on the rise. We see that scooters are being banned in more and more cities, while in Poland, where 130 cities already have a bike sharing system, it has increasing potential. We are also looking beyond Poland and intend to start in foreign projects - Wojtkiewicz summed up.