Tornio struggles with awareness as cyclists continue to ignore bike street rules

In the small northern town of Tornio, a bike street was constructed a year ago, but most users still drive along it in violation of traffic regulations. Motorists continue to use the road as they did before, while cyclists occupy pedestrian paths, leading to widespread use by numerous young people and adults. The bike street remains quite new, even four years after its introduction, and is only familiar to a few.

“Very often, cyclists ride on the sidewalks. I believe this ingrained habit also affects how cyclists use the new bike street,” says Tornio’s Technical Director, Markus Kannala. According to Eero Kalmakoski, the Head of Communications at Liikenneturva, a recent survey revealed a general lack of awareness concerning the rules governing bike streets, highlighting that many people lack basic knowledge that cyclists have priority on these roads.

Other vehicles are allowed to enter bike streets under specific conditions. “There is ongoing discussion about whether a motorist can overtake a cyclist on a bike street if it can be done safely and without violating speed limits,” Kalmakoski explains. Overtaking cyclists is permitted as long as it does not jeopardize their safety.

However, comments from young cyclists on the sidewalks in Tornio reveal that riding on the road often feels intimidating due to motorists. As a result, most choose to ride regularly on pedestrian pathways, carefully avoiding pedestrians. “There are so few pedestrians in Tornio that it feels okay to ride here on the sidewalk,” comments Emilia Koivisto, a student riding to school.

Funding has also been allocated for constructing bike streets, with Tornio receiving €147,000 in state subsidies for its initial segment. Currently, the bike street spans only 400 meters along Kauppakatu, but plans are in place to extend it throughout the town center, subject to available funding. Traficom indicates that bike streets are generally built in areas that are part of the main cycling network, with investment in bike infrastructure seen in recent years. In Lapland, only two bike streets currently exist: in addition to Tornio, the first bike street is under construction in Rovaniemi.