1. tl module 06 walking cycling en reader

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TRAINING

MODULE

Walking and cycl ing -

counselling municipalities


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Walking and cycling -


www.transportlearning.net Page 2 of 36

The material for training module 6 Walking and cycling counselling municipalities wascompiled by HARALD REITERERandBENJAMIN AUER in 2011/12.

HARALD REITERERBENJAMIN AUERKOINSTITUT SDTIROL/ALTO ADIGEVIA TALVERA 2, 39100 BOLZANO+39 0471 980 [email protected]

This training material can also be downloaded from the project website.www.transportlearning.net

Sources cover photos:FGM-AMOR, www.eltis.org

Legal disclaimer:

The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect theopinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission are responsible for any use thatmay be made of the information contained therein.

Transport Learning is co-funded by the European Union under the Intelligent Energy Europe programme.


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Table of contents

1.

Introduction: Walking and cycling in cit ies ..................................................................5

1.1 Benefits of walking and cycling.......................................................................................61.1.1 Environmental benefits.............................................................................................71.1.2 Social benefits..........................................................................................................71.1.3 Economic benefits....................................................................................................81.1.4 Personal benefits .....................................................................................................9

1.2 Barriers to the development of cycling..........................................................................101.3 Barriers to the development of walking:........................................................................12

2. Tools and approaches for municipali ties ......................................................................13

2.1 Infrastructure.................................................................................................................14

2.2 Quality criteria for cycling infrastructure........................................................................15

2.2.1 Quality criteria for walking infrastructure................................................................192.2.2 Bicycle parking and storage...................................................................................212.2.3 Bike-sharing...........................................................................................................22

2.3 Policy and organisation.................................................................................................222.4 Promotion and campaigns............................................................................................23

Case study: Promoting cycling and walking for sustainable mobility in Koprivnica

(Croatia).................................................................................................................................26

Case study: A specific strategy - Improvement and promotion of cycling mobility in

Bolzano (Italy).......................................................................................................................27

3. Further information .......................................................................................................35


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1. Introduction: Walking and cycling in cities

Many European cities are suffering from traffic-related problems such as noise and airpollution, consumption of space and congestion. Individual motorised transport is widelyacknowledged to be the main mode of transport responsible for these problems. This is whymore and more cities are developing strategies to change urban transportation, trying to shifttrips from individual motorised traffic (i.e. cars and motorcycles) to collective transport andnon-motorised transport. However, the role played by any transport mode varies stronglybetween cities. This difference is shown by modal splitfigures (modal split: share of a singletransport mode of the total of trips in a city where the total equals 100% of trips). Threemodal split figures are shown below (Source: European Platform on Mobility Management,www.epomm.eu).

These figures demonstrate how in three cities located at comparable latitudes (i.e. withsimilar climate conditions) the means of urban transport used are highly different. Thisindicates that the citizens choice of transport mode can be directedby providing the rightincentives.

Traditionally, some countries have been more sensitive towards traffic-related congestionand environmental problems and began decades ago with the implementation of policiesattentive to the needs of cyclists and walkers.Today, more and more cities are coming toacknowledge the damage caused by excessivecar use in cities and the positive impact of a highshare of cyclists and pedestrians. Champion citiesin the Netherlands and in Denmark, which areregularly rated as having some of the highestqualities of life in the world, understood thisdecades ago. Now ever more municipalities aredeveloping cycling strategies as part of theirurban development strategies. For instance, citieslike London, Brussels and Paris, besidesinvesting in cycling-friendly infrastructure, havebeen operating very successful bike-sharingsystemsfor some time.

City of Liverpool (UK)

Survey year 2001

Figure 1: Recent cycling super-highway

in London. Source: www.eltis.org

City of Copenhagen (DK)

Survey year 2010City of Kaunas (LT)

Survey year 2007


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Figure 2: This figure shows the share of all trips made by bicycle in some European count ries.

The numbers reflects the fact that the nature of road traffic policies in a country can strongly

influence the peoples choice of transportation. Source: European Commission, quoted in

Cycling in the Netherlands, 2009.

Furthermore, even without the involvement of the publicadministration, in many cities spontaneous initiativescampaigning for better cycling conditions are being broughtto life by engaged citizens. Examples of such initiatives arethe Critical-Mass Movement or awareness-raising rides bynaked cyclists.Similarly, pedestrians are also increasingly asking for betterconditions rather than being considered a secondaryphenomenon in public space, below individual motorisedtraffic. For example, lobbying associations for pedestriansare in place in many countries (the International Federationof Pedestrians provides links to national groups:

http://www.pedestrians-int.org/).

1.1 Benefits of walking and cyclingConsidering the problems caused by individual motorised transport in cities, a solutioncomes from the increased use of collective transport and non-motorised modes of transport:walking and cycling.Both have advantages compared to private motorised vehicles. However, public transport bydefinition is less flexible and cannot satisfy all individual mobility needs, which is why walkingand cycling, in combination with collective transport, can play a key role in securing highmobility standards in urban areas. The non-motorised modes of transport have several

Figure 3: Source: www.trendy-

travel.eu


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beneficial effects for cities. Benefits include quality of personal travel , benefits for theenvironment, for society and for the economy.

1.1.1 Environmental benefitsThere are multiple beneficial effects of non-motorised transport on the environment. Cyclingand walking are the most energy-efficient, clean and silent modes of transport. They do notconsume any fossil fuels or generate any emissions, and they contribute to a clean andlivable urban environment.

In addition, walking and cycling use less public space (meaning less need for infrastructure),freeing valuable urban space for other uses. A road at a given cross section can transportseveral times as many people per hour on bicycles than by car, simply because cars occupymore of the road surface. The bicycle also has several advantages compared to cars when itcomes to parking. A parked car easily takes up 8-10 times the area needed by a parked

bicycle. (Source:COMPETENCE reference material; transportlearning.net/competence).

Figure 4: This f igure demonstrates the differences between cars, bicycles and public transport

with regard to the consumption of space. Source: www.fairkehr.net

1.1.2 Social benefits

Cycling and walking are accessible to everyone with good health, while the use of individualmotorised transport is dependent on more specific health requirements, age and a driving

license. Furthermore, walking and cycling is affordable, being the most cost-effective choiceof transport for low-income segments of the population.Walking and cycling policies are therefore democratic, given that they do not favour certainsegments of the population. They can guarantee personal mobility for all, especially at timesof growing fuel prices.

Cycling and walking contribute to better quality of life: they are people-friendly modes oftransport. Cities with high cycling shares (such as Copenhagen or Amsterdam) constantlyrank highest in the list of cities with the best qualities of life. By contrast, research shows thatthose living in the proximity of heavy road traffic tend to have less social interaction, gainweight, sleep less and are more aggressive (Legambiente, 2010).

Public health benefits are another consequence of policies aimed at increasing the share ofcycling and walking. Even the daily walk or cycling trip to work has considerable benefits on


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the health conditions of people. And it might also save the time otherwise needed for thegym!

Contrary to common beliefs, having more cyclists and more pedestrians actually reduces thesafety risks of these transport modes. The reason is that drivers of motorised vehicles aremore aware of them and learn to expect their presence and predict their behaviour.

1.1.3 Economic benefits

In times of economic crises and budget shortages the economic benefits of non-motorisedtransport can only be highlighted the more. For the individual, the cost of these transportmodes is basically none: the only costs are the purchase of a bicycle and a lock or a pair ofshoes. On the other hand, private motorised vehicles have high fixed and variable costs. It isin economically difficult times that therefore people increasingly cycle or walk. At these times,the attention of the public administration towards cyclists and pedestrians is therefore mostimportant.

Apart from personal savings, cycling and walking also have beneficial effects on publicspending and the local economy. They require shorter distances and therefore give anadvantage to local shops and businesses, whereas in car cities big out-of-city shoppingcentres are advantaged. Research has also shown that cyclists are generally bettercustomers because they visit shops and businesses more frequently (see figure below).Similarly the benefits of walking for shops and businesses can be observed in the manyflourishing pedestrian areas in cities.

The infrastructure required by cyclists and pedestrians is very cost-effective. It is estimatedthat any investment in cycling provisions generates economic benefits 5 to 7 times the value

of the investment. Public spending is reduced due to the reduced cost of infrastructures, andalso through a reduction in external costs (e.g. costs of healthcare, of traffic jams, etc).Cycling and walking are convenient feeders for public transport: more walking and cyclingtherefore results in a win-win situation.

Figure 5: Traffic-related deaths in Austria,

Switzerland and France (2003). Sources:

World road statistics, UNESCO, WHO.


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daily trips in cities. Major reasons for the time savings are congestion, which delays cars andbuses; parking restrictions, which makes car parking a time-costing affair, and the possibilityto make shortcuts or on-the-way stops, which may not be possible when using other modes.

Non-motorised modes of transport are therefore clearly the most flexible and autonomousmodes of transport.

Figure 8: This figure compares travel times by car and by bicyc le, when taking into account thedaily time spent for physical exercise. The assumption is that one wants to have 30 minutes ofphysical exercise per day. Cycling therefore saves time on health activities.Note that in Europe 50% of all car tr ips are shorter than 5 km.Source: transportlearning.net/competence

Figure 9: Emotions associated with three different transport modes: Cycling is considered the

most fun and pleasant way of getting around. Source: Kennis Instituut voor Mobiliteit 2007,quoted in Cycling in the Netherlands, 2009.

1.2 Barriers to the development of cyclingMany citizens desire quality of life in their neighbourhoods, meaning less and slower cartraffic.The European Parliament in the publication The Promotion of Cycling mentions the mostimportant barriers to cycling:

lack or inadequacy of road and parking infrastructure cyclists safety and security


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weather conditions poor intermodality

Moreover, partly depending on local conditions, people also frequently mention:

strong gradients limited possibilities for transporting goods and persons risk of theft convenience

However, success stories from champion cities and the equipment available on the marketmake many of these non-fundamental drawbacks.

The cities with the highest cycling shares are mostly located in cold and rainy climates(Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden). They show that weather conditions do not constitute afundamental obstacle to cycling. Specific rain-gear, tyres with spikes for icy roads, etc. canmake bike mobility a feasible alternative to cars in almost all weather conditions. Also thetopography and the transporting of goods and persons are concerns that can be addressed:pedelecs for example (= bicycles with pedalling assistance from a small electric engine seebox below) allow easy climbing of strong gradients, fast acceleration and effortless ridingeven with strong headwinds. Trailers or cargo bikes make transporting cargo very simple.Cycling is in reality often much easier than in its image. Part of a successful cycling policy istherefore also overcoming of prejudices. Some examples:

Cycling is a slow mode of transport: In fact, in urban areas the bicycle is the fastest

mode of transport for up to 7 kilometres, in the case of pedelecs for up to 15kilometres. Cycling is only for the young: In fact, cycling is suitable for all age groups. The

elderly can benefit from much better mobility, which in turn increases their degree ofsocial interaction.

Cycling is not for transporting: In fact, cargo bikes and trailers allow thetransportation of considerable cargo. On average, people do not need to transportamounts which are unsuitable for bike transport.

Figure 10: Cycling is a very social and flexible way of t ravelling. Source: www.eltis.org

Individuals may need to be convinced of the arguments listed above but its the safety ofriders (and their bikes), the duration and the comfort of cycling trips where the intervention ofmunicipalities is crucial.


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2. Tools and approaches for municipalitiesNOTE: in the following chapter references are made mainly to cycling, in order not to sound

too repetitive. However, the tools and approaches presented are mostly valid for theimplementation of walking policies as well.

Municipalities can implement a range of measures aimed at increasing the attractiveness ofthe city for cyclists. The measures implemented will depend on the starting point (Where arewe standing now?), therefore it is vital to assess the cycling conditions beforehand.

How safe, easy and attractive is cycling and walking in the city?Which share of daily trips are made by bicycle?This indicator (the modal share) is definedby on-street counting or surveys.Similarly, it is important to assess the conditions for walking in the city. Are many peoplemaking walking trips on a regular basis? What are the main barriers to walking?

The BYPAD auditing tool is one method which helps assess the conditions for cyclists in astructured way. For further information on this method visit www.bypad.org.

Starters, Climbers or Champions?

Depending on the cycling conditions and the modal share, cities can be classified as starters,climbers or champions.Starters: these cities have poor cycling conditions (i.e. lack of or dangerous and unattractiveinfrastructure for cyclists) and less than 10% share of cycling.Champions: these cities have high-quality cycling infrastructure and a modal split of generallymore than 30%.

Between these categories are the climber cities, with mid-range cycling rates and modalshares. Generally, the cycling rate rises as the cycling conditions improve.

Figure 11: This figure illust rates the classification of cit ies in starters, climbers and champions.Source: www.presto-cycling.eu

According to whether the city is a starter, a climber or a champion, a different set of cyclingpolicies will be required. While in starter cities the focus is on on basic investment in safe and


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direct cycle routes and encouraging potential cyclists, in champion cities the focus is onimproving the existing infrastructure and rewarding cyclists to keep them motivated.

Figure 12: Cycling strategy efforts in starter, climber and champion cities. Source:

www.presto-cycling.eu

The measures and examples listed in this chapter are mainly targeted at starter and climbercities who want to improve conditions for cyclists and increase their modal share.

The measures can be distinguished in 3 categories:

Infrastructure Policy and organisation Promotion and campaigns

2.1 Infrastructure

Every city has a latent demand for cycling. Yet some cities have very low numbers ofcyclists. Mostly this is because cyclists feel unsafe and disrespected in road traffic. Trafficmay be too heavy and fast, road infrastructure leaves no room for cyclists and makes cycling


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dangerous and there is no connection between quiet areas where cycling would beattractive. As a consequence, only few people dare cycling in the city, and motorist aregenerally unaware of cyclists and their behaviour.

With regard to infrastructural improvements the focus lies on making cycling safe andcreating attractive cycle routes (however, promotion efforts will be necessary to publicise thenew infrastructure). This does not always mean creating a costly city-wide network ofsegregated cycle lanes from scratch, it can also begin with designating calm mixed-trafficareas in a single neighbourhood, constantly improving them and connecting them to otherneighbourhoods in the city.

In fact, as the availability of financial resources is often limited, so called soft measures can be at least as important as hard infrastructural measures in creating an environmentwhich favours cycling and walking. These include the use of paint on the road to clearly markspaces designated for cyclists, the enforcement of speed limits (speed bumps, radar

controls), pedestrian islands, giving absolute right of way to cyclists or pedestrians (e.g.bicycle streets in Germany) or street furniture which leads to a reduction in the speed ofcars.

2.2 Quality cr iteria for cycling infrastructureIn order to become truly attractive to cyclists, the infrastructure needs to respond to thefollowing criteria: safe, direct, cohesive, attractive, comfortable. These criteria have been

developed in the Netherlands, but they have become acknowledged internationally as validpolicy guidelines. For starter cities, the focus lies on providing safety and directness (i.e.routes which allow competitive travel times by bike).

Safe

It is acknowledged that dangerous situations and fear of riding in traffic are seriousdisincentives to the use of the bicycle. The following guidelines should be considered:

Mixing traffic where it is safe or can be made safe. Mixing cyclists with other usersshould be the default option when planning a cycling network, because it allows thecreation of a dense network without the need for costly investment. Where traffic is

mixed, cars need to be slowed down to 50 km/h (maximum) or 30 km/h (ideal).

Figure 13: This example from Freiburg,

Germany, shows how elements in a

residential area can be arranged in order tocapture drivers attention and make them

travel at lower speeds. There is no need for

segregated infrastructure on such streets

(Source: www.eltis.org).


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Segregating traffic where safety requires it. This is normally the case where the speedof passing cars is higher than 50 km/h.

Sufficient width of the cycling infrastructure, which allows safe distance from

obstacles and from approaching or overtaking cars and cyclists. Recommendedminimum widths of segregated cycling lanes/paths are 1,50 metres (mono-directional)and 2,50 metres (bidirectional).

Avoidance of conflicts with vehicles where possible. Conflict points presented asclearly as possible (good visibility, horizontal and vertical signage)

Provisions at intersections (e.g. storage lanes, advanced stop lines, speedreductions, bicycle bypasses)

Perceived safety is also essential in order to attract users (i.e. avoid dark and scaryareas)

Figure 14: On busy main arteries, safety requires that

segregated cycle tracks are created alongside the

road. At intersections it is essential that the potential

confli cts are clearly presented to car drivers andcyclis ts (signage, visibili ty).

Figure 16: Sometimes dedicated cycling infrastructu re may

actually decrease safety. In this case cyclists face the hazard of

suddenly opening car doors.

Figure 15: Road surface changing from tarmac

to paving stone signals drivers to slow down



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Direct

In order to be competitive, bicycles need fast connections between the journeystarting point and destination. It is essential that cyclists are enabled to reach theirdestination with minimum detours. Especially segregated infrastructure needs toallow fast riding with right of way at intersections.

Much used tools to reach directness of trips are counter flow lanes in one-way streetsand shortcuts through blocks and streets that are otherwise closed for vehicles.

It is also important to avoid frequent stopping (e.g. stopping to give way), which istiresome and unnerving.

However, speed should never be achieved at the expense of cyclists safety, or thesafety of other road users and pedestrians!

Figure 17: These images show how di rect routes can be created by setting up shortcuts for

cyclis ts through closed streets and one-way streets.

Figure 18: This image shows an example to be avoided in planning: Cyclis ts need to cross the

road twice, hence losing a lot of time.

Cohesive

A cohesive cycling network allows cyclists to reach most places within the city on

cycling-friendly infrastructure. Short, isolated stretches of cycle lanes (less than 500metres) can sometimes be useless, especially if situated on the opposite side of theroad.

Source: www.presto-cycling.eu


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Signage at key intersections makes orientation easy.At tract ive

Attractive surroundings (quiet, pretty) make cycling more pleasant Locating cycling infrastructure in attractive settings (e.g. in a park) increases the

recreational value of this transport mode.

Figure 19: Two examples which illustrate what an environment attractive for cycling could be

like. The first image actually shows a roundabout in the Netherlands, yet it underlines the

importance that is given to pedestrians and cyclists.

Comfortable

Good conditions of the road surface make sure that riding a bike is pleasant. Thepresence of rough tarmac or potholes causes annoying vibrations and requires higherconcentration.

Especially on the main cycling routes, plenty of space is needed so cyclists canmaintain safe distances from obstacles and overtake slower cyclists.

Availability of services to cyclists, such as repair shops and pumping facilities. At nighttime, good lighting needs to be ensured.

Figure 20: Cycling infrastructure in good conditions in Bolzano (left); a pumping facility for

cyclis ts in Denmark (right).

Source: www.eltis.org

Source: www.presto-cycling.eu


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The relevance of the single quality criteriamay change according to the target group. Forinstance, daily commuters will prefer fast and direct routes, even if they are located in anunattractive setting (e.g. parallel to a much-used road), whereas weekend users, cycling for

recreational purposes, will probably prefer attractive routes through green areas, even if theyare longer.

The PRESTO (www.presto-cycling.eu) project provides tools for technicians aiming to planand build best practice cycling infrastructure. Links to further information are also listed at theend of this document.

2.2.1 Quality criteria for walking infrastructure

A successful walking policy will need to carefully consider and plan the conditions in whichwalking takes place. Very often favourable conditions for cyclists and walkers go hand in

hand, as both have very similar requirements: safety, directness, cohesion, attractivenessand comfort. In particular, both benefit from general traffic calmingsuch as speed limits andlimited circulation areas.

Safe

Safety is of paramount importance for pedestrians. Especially along main road arteries,walkers should never have to leave dedicated infrastructure, and at all times the distancebetween them and road vehicles should be appropriate (see below). Where no pavementsare in place or they are of insufficient width, traffic needs to be slowed down to 20 km/h toincrease the safety and attractiveness of the route. This can be attempted through streetlayout, but also making use of soft measures. The establishment of Living streetsor Home

zones is a solution for mixing motorised and non-motorised traffic in areas with highresidential density. Outside main roads, if there is a high demand for street crossings bypedestrians, municipalities can implement a shared spaceconcept: This means that all roadusers and pedestrians share the same space (e.g. a square, designed to slow downvehicles), without rules other than those of mutual consideration, and without signage. Thisconcept, which has first been implemented in the Netherlands, has proven to stronglyimprove the quality of the environment for pedestrians while at the same time raising driversawareness and reducing their speeds (Source: www.fussverkehr.de).Many accidents involving pedestrians occur at crossings: therefore high consideration needsto be given to allow safe crossings, such as good visibility, plenty of room, slow car trafficand sufficient crossing time at traffic lights.

It is similarly important that there is also a high level of perceived safety: dark subways orinsufficient lighting increase the feeling of limited safety for walkers.

CASE STUDY: School streets in Bolzano

School streets were introduced in Bolzano in 1989. The measure consists ofthe temporary closure of streets affected by high numbers of cars of parentswho drive their children to and from school. The measure increases the safetyof those children walking to school and favours their autonomous mobility, aswell as reducing the number of cars in circulation.

The concept has been very successful over the years, especially in


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combination with road traffic education in schools and initiatives such as the walking bus.

Direct and coherent

Walking is very sensitive to detours (e.g. large buildings, poor crossing facilities), it is

therefore essential to provide the shortest possible routes, making use of shortcuts wherepossible. Similarly, short stretches of dangerous or otherwise unattractive routes mightjeopardise the success of entire walking routes.

At tract ive

For walking mobility the attractiveness of the infrastructure is of high importance. Thepleasure of walking can be supported by providing walking infrastructure through parks,green areas and along bodies of water. Avoid large, monotonous buildings or walking routesalong roads with heavy traffic.

The attractiveness is strongly increased if streets are alive day and night. This can be

achieved by providing enough housing, a variety of services and facilities, and meetingpoints (mixed use of urban space instead of spatial separation).

Comfortable

Very often pedestrians are given little consideration outside of city centre pedestrian areas.An example are the construction criteria of pavements. For decades the width ofpavements has been defined by simply adding the width of two pedestrians:

0,75 m + 0,75 m = 1,5 m.

However, in practice this width is often insufficient,

especially as it is often reduced by lightpoles, parkedcars or similar obstacles, or when people with bags,trolleys, walking sticks or wheelchairs meet. A personwalking needs approximately 1,0 m of space,considering that most people carry bags, umbrellas orsimilar. A minimum distance of approximately 25 cm isalso required on both sides, resulting therefore in aminimum width of 2,5 m for two persons to pass eachother comfortably. Even more width is needed if there isroom for looking in shop windows, placing benches etc.These values and further guidelines are described bythe German walking mobility association Fussverkehr

(www.fussverkehr.de).

Figure 21: The w alking bus is an initiative where

children are collected at determined stops by an

accompanying person and walked to school as a group

in safety (Source: www.eltis.org)

Figure 22: Walking infrastructure

should be maintained in the best

possible conditions. Source:

www.eltis.org.


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Another example of poor consideration are the often long waiting times at traffic lights, badconditions of the pavement surface, puddles, etc. All these things considerably reduce theattractiveness of walking.

2.2.2 Bicycle parking and storage

Bicycle parking and storage are just as important as cycle routes for a successful cyclingstrategy. The main issues to be addressed are:

Management of large numbers of bicycles in public space Bicycle availability Risk of theft

If there is not enough well-organised parking for bicycles, people will start leaving them

standing around, becoming an obstacle for pedestrians and the mobility-impaired. Even thecyclists themselves will be discouraged by a permanent lack of parking possibilities.

It is therefore crucial that parking possibilities are provided in sufficient numbers and as closeas possible to the origins and destinations of journeys. Cycling is competitive to motorisedtransport if it allows door-to-door trips. If parking places are located at some walking distancefrom the start/destination point this competitive advantage is damaged. Furthermore, parkingplaces need to be comfortable to access, possibly covered and with a low risk of damagingthe bicycle.


Figure 23: If there is not suffic ient parking for bicycles,

public space will start looking like this



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Figure 24: Bike racks such as the one in the left image are likely to damage the front wheel.

Preference should rather be given to bike racks which allow the bicycle to be leaned against

and locked at its frame. Original designs can be an eye-catcher and promote cycling mob ility.

The risk of theft is a very crucial issue. A high risk of theft will lead to people not using theirbikes or using only very poor quality bicycles. Parking and storing possibilities which reducethe risk of theft will encourage people to use their bicycles more likely.

For more detailed guidelines regarding the provision of bicycle parking, consult the CyclingInfrastructure Guide from the PRESTO project (www.presto-cycling.eu).

2.2.3 Bike-sharing

Cities where few people own bicycles can benefit from the introduction of a bike-sharing

scheme. Bike sharing means that public bicycles are put at citizenss disposal at multiplepoints throughout the city, and these can be hired (generally for short periods only) byregistered users. Bike sharing systems are an attractive solution for those who still do nothave their own vehicle, yet want to start cycling, or those who prefer not using their own bike.A review of different bike sharing systems and a set of guidelines for their implementationwas provided by the OBIS project (www.obisproject.com).

2.3 Policy and organisationA structured sustainable mobility policy is fundamental for achieving positive results in

increasing non-motorised transport. Such a policy requires political commitment along withhuman and financial resources. The principal ingredients for good cycling and walkingpolicies are:

A sustainable mobility concept, politically approved, which clearly outlines targetsand the relative measures.

A mobil ity managerand mobility office with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Certainty of financial resources: possible sources are parking fees and road traffic

fines.

Improvements in cycling and walking infrastructure are best accompanied by adaptations ofthe policies governing road traffic. Cycling and walking do generally benefit frommeasures which slow and calm motorised traffic. In the case of cycling, these measures canlead to the sharing of infrastructure. In zones of limited circulation (i.e. where only authorised

Figure 25: In Burgos, Spain, the bike-sharing

system was a success since the beginning.


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vehicles can enter at low speeds) pedestrians can also claim spaces on the road. The sameis true for areas of shared space.

Policies which give cycling and walking a competitive advantage include road pricing,parking fees and a limitation of available parking, partial or complete closure of streets tomotorised road traffic. Avoid the mistakeof making the use of cycle lanes mandatory, asthis reduces the cyclists freedom and the directness of their routes. Furthermore, wherecycle lanes are not in very good condition or are in conflict with parked cars or pedestrians,mandatory cycle lanes strongly reduce the attractiveness of cycling.

Other policy adaptations include the widespread introduction of 30 km/h zones, or thedefinition of quality criteria for cycling infrastructure (see for instance the Dutch qualitycriteria outlined above, or the PRESTO project). Further policy elements can include themandatory provision of cycling facilities (e.g. bicycle room or bicycle parking) for newdevelopments, or a ban on the construction of any new city centre parking (even in private

homes). This saves public space and favours the use of walking, cycling and publictransport.

2.4 Promotion and campaignsPromotional activities and campaigns are vital in order to publicise what is available (e.g.new cycling infrastructure) and raise awareness: about the benefits of cycling, about safetyconcerns, etc. For instance, a key target should be bicycle training for children, as well asroad safety education for cyclists and motorists, with the aim of road users respecting oneanother.

Promotional activities can be generic, for example posters, videoclips, cycling events, etc., ortargeted at specific groups. Examples of such specific campaigns are the Cycle to work andWalk to school campaigns (see the COMPETENCE project,transportlearning.net/competence, for further information; www.eltis.org for examples andcase studies on how to implement such campaigns).

Figure 26: This figure shows how a change inpolicy (i.e. not providing employees with parkingopportunities) can drastically change travelbehaviour.


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participants and to give a social pressure on the participants to continue the desired walkingbehaviour.Another example from the UK is walking school buses. Walking school buses involve organising thetrip from home to school in such a way, that a group of children are guided by a few adults.With regard to cycling and walking, the main challenge for campaigns can often beovercoming prejudices and psychological barriers of citizens. In fact, cycling and walking isoften much easier, pleasant and efficient than people may think. Use emotional approachesin campaigning (see for example the Trendy Travel project,www.trendy-travel.eu), with thefinal target of establishing a cycling culture or walking culture, i.e. a cultural frameworkwhere it is considered normal that people use non-motorised transport for everyday mobility.In particular, successful campaigns need examples and testimonials which show thefeasibility and benefits of these transport modes for all groups of the population. We proposethat councillors should commit to regularly walk and cycleat least once a week!

A separate module within the Transport Learning project deals with campaigns in detail.


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Case study: Promoting cycling and walking for

sustainable mobili ty in Koprivnica (Croatia)

The City of Koprivnica has been engaged in a number ofstrategies to promote cycling and walking and attain fullaccessibility of roads for all users. A wide partnership ofstakeholders has been the key to success. In five years, amodal shift of 25% has been reached.

Background & Objectives

The City of Koprivnica is situated in the North of Croatia. With a population of 31.000 in 2001 it wasfaced with numerous transport-related problems. Owing to the town's prosperity based on the foodand pharmaceutical industry, the number of private vehicles increased at an alarming pace, whilepublic roads were in a poor shape, pedestrian pathways inaccessible to the disabled and cyclingtracks few and unconnected.The resulting deterioration of air quality, traffic congestion and decreasing quality of life in the citycentre made the local government engage in a number of sustainable transport strategies.

Implementation

In partnership with educational institutions, traffic police, local businesses, non- governmentalorganisations and citizen groups in the areas of environment, sports and health the local governmentengaged in two fouryear programmes: Town on The Moveand Streets for People. Several projectswere also undertaken, the most important being the EU project Active Access. These programmeshave involved an intense reconstruction of roads including accessible pedestrian pathways andcycling tracks, energy-efficient lighting, widening of green areas including new children's playgrounds,car-free zones and a public bicycle rental scheme. The intense promotion of cycling and walking hasbeen highlighted through the European Mobility Week campaign in which the City of Koprivnica hassuccessfully participated since 2002, winning the European Mobility Week Award in 2008. Citizenshave been enthusiastically participating in this campaign, especially pedestrians, cyclists, the disabledand children. Through extensive education campaigns involving kindergartens and schoolteachers,

students and parents, the number of cyclists and pedestrians is constantly increasing. However,participation of local businesses has been only partially achieved, as the benefits of sustainabletransport are not fully appreciated by all companies.

Conclusions

The city of Koprivnica has been transformed by the sustainable mobility programmes. There is an 80km long network of cycling tracks and pedestrian footpaths in the city centre and an extensive networkof scenic cycling routes in the city's environs. A network of health paths particularly encourageswalking for health and leisure. There are now 39 playgrounds and an exercise area for elderly citizens.Almost 50% of all citizens regularly use bicycles as a means of transport for trips to school, work,

shopping and leisure. The city has gained the title of cycling-friendliest town in Croatia and EuropeanMobility Week champion of 2008. the city has reaffirmed cycling and walking as most popular urban



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transport modes. Among other impressive results, there is the Open-air Bicycle Museum containingseven replicas of the most popular models of bicycles in history and a monument to the bicycle in frontof the City Hall. Wide public participation has been the key to success, ensuring the "ownership" of thetown's strategies by most individual citizens. The local experience has been shared by other Croatiantowns which have been involved in a national network of towns promoting sustainable transport basedon cycling and walking. The plan of calming traffic in the vicinity of all schools and kindergartens andreallocation of road space to non-motorised traffic in the immediate city centre is currently in progress,while every road reconstruction involves the addition of pedestrian footpaths and cycling tracks.

Case study: A specif ic strategy - Improvement

and promotion of cycling mobility in Bolzano

(Italy)

In 2001, the Municipality of Bolzano constructed a Masterplan aimed at designing a coherent cyclingnetwork on the basis of the mobility demand of its citizens. During the planning process, the existinginfrastructure was combined with the new one in a structured way.

The hierarchical structure of the coherent bike network in Bolzano consists of three elements, the socalled principal axis, secondary axis and streets with mixed traffic.

The 8 principal axes connect the most important points of economic, residential and touristicattraction within the city in the most direct and fast way. They cross the whole city and connect severalextra urban bike lanes and suburban areas. The quality standards are higher than those of other bikelanes: they are generally larger and have better safety provisions at junctions. Moreover, signagealong the main axes enables easier orientation inside the bike network.

Figure 27: Traffic flows in the city of Bolzano were analysed in a detailed study before the

network of cycle lanes was planned (Source: Apollis, 2010).


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The secondary axesconnect one or more principal axes. They are usually not as long as the primaryaxes and connect built-up areas, sports centres, recreational areas, parks etc. to the principal axes.Secondary axes also connect two or more primary bike lanes (cross-connections).

In most residential areas 30 km/h zones have been established, effectively allowing mixed trafficanda diffuse cycle network.

When developing a cycling network, the planning of parking areas for bicycles is essential: high qualityparking areas lead more people to buy bicycles and consequently they promote bike mobility.A Bicycle Parking Plan for Bolzano was developed, analysing where and how many bicycle parkingareas were required, carrying out feasibility studies and setting out the kind of parking area as well asthe relevant quality standards. For instance, it is important that bicycles can be locked at the frameand do not run the risk of being damaged by the design of the structure. Also being sheltered from rainis important, as well as being illuminated and visible to prevent theft.

Figure 28: The principal axes are cycling lanes

characterised by high qualitative standards.

They are fast and direct routes with minimuminterference with traffic or pedestrians, making

use of dedicated bridges for example.

Intersections with motorised traffic are designed

in a way that makes them as safe as possible by

ensuring high visibility.


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Information and communication

Information and communication help make citizens aware of the advantages of cycling. The target isto inform them about the existing bike mobility offer as well as the bike services, which helps create abicycle friendly atmosphere. Information and communication can be a political and marketing strategyfor improving the image of a city.

In Bolzano, a bike mobility map was designed and printed after the new infrastructure had been built.The structure of the map was simple and easy to read.

Figure 29: Bicycle parking differs in aspect and quality. Careful

decisions need to be taken in order to provide the right incentive

for cycling.


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Vertical sign posts were developed to improve orientation for those who are not familiar with a place.

Infopoints were located in strategic places and offer a detailed plan of the surroundings, connectionsto other bike lanes or the accessibility to mobility attractors. Infopoints can also be looked at as amarketing tool because they draw the attention of passers-by, car drivers and cyclists to cycling

mobility.

Marketing:

The Corporate Identity

The first step for a successful and effective marketing campaign is the development of a CorporateIdentity (CI). The CI must be unique, sensational and represent the product, in this case bike mobility.The logo, as a kind of self-explaining symbol, should be placed on all cycling relevant elements in the

city (sign posts, infopoints, posters, advertising, internet, etc.). Like any other product, bike mobilityalso obtains an identity through the logo and the whole CI. The design plays an important role. Everyinformation- and marketing element has to take into account both aesthetical aspects and appeal. Thebicycle has to be positively perceived and get a positive image. For example, the logo shouldcommunicate:

Easy identification of bicycle or bike mobility Easy recognition The idea of speed An emotional attachment Site-specific aspects (colours, shortcuts, etc.)

In addition to the logo, a signature which is easy to remember should be developed. Writing as well ascolours must be consistent with the logo. Under the signature, there should be a reference to the bike


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The bike barometer

Bolzano was one of the first cities in Europe where a bikebarometer was installed. This tool can be considered as aninstrument to raise awareness and to sensitise all cyclists inBolzano. The barometer uses a specific sensor and counts allbikes in both directions along one of the most used bike paths.The display shows the total daily number of bikes as well as thetotal number of transits since the installation of the barometer.The bike barometer was a big success in Bolzano and in less

than one year one million cyclists was reached. On thatoccasion, a big event involving politicians, the press, sponsors,etc. was organised.

Postcards and g iveaways

Postcards and giveaways are distributed in pubs,bars or restaurants, at events or wheneverdelegations from other cities visit the cycling systemin Bolzano.


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Cinema spots and videos

Another method for the promotion of cycling was the production of different cinema spots. The cinemaspots in Bolzano are oriented to different target groups and topics, e.g. young people, safety, etc. New

channels, like short videos on Youtube could also be a future way to draw attention to cycling mobility.

Measures for specific target groups

General marketing activities are certainly meaningful, but itmight be beneficial to integrate these with marketingactivities aimed at specific target groups. Target groups canbe commuters, employees, students, parents or tourists. Inthis case creativity is of fundamental importance and site-specific measures can be developed.

With regards to employees and commuters, marketingevents like the project Cycle to work can be very useful.

Moreover it is possible to develop and promote otherfeasible multimodal solutions, like P&R systems incombination with bike rental services, specific price offers for commuters, ticketing policies, parkingservices etc.

The effect of the cycling strategy in Bolzano

The implementation of the cycling strategy brought about fundamental improvements for cyclists andled to a strong increase in trips being carried out by bike. The average modal share of cycling rosefrom 17,5%in 2002 to 29%in 2009.

It needs to be noted that this increase has not led to a significant change in the number of accidentsinvolving cyclists (see figure below).

22 1

178

197 19 5

238 23 6220

0

50

10 0

15 0

20 0

25 0

2004 2006 2008 2010

Incidenti

Number of

accidents

involving cyclists


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3. Further information

There is a lot to learn from other cities and projects. The following websites all provideinspiration, best practice and solutions:

References in this document:ELTIS facilitates the exchange of information, knowledge and experiences in the field ofurban mobility in Europe.EPOMM is the European Platform on Mobility Management, a network of governments inEuropean countries that are engaged in Mobility Management.PRESTOis about competence building in cycling policies. The project aims to offer a set oftools for technicians to create cycle friendly urban environments, to implement sound cyclingplans and to start up targeted promotion campaigns.COMPETENCE- design and implementation of international and national training and know

how transfer activities.Go Pedelec! aims to raise awareness of pedelecs among citizens as well as municipaldecision makers.Trendy Travelaims to make sustainable travel more emotionally appealing, so as to affect amodal shift from car to healthier, more eco-friendly transport modes.OBISaims to improve the role and the opportunities of bike sharing as a valuable instrumentto foster clean and energy efficient sustainable modes of mobility in urban areas.BYPAD(Bicycle Policy Audit) is a tool to assess the quality of cycling policies in towns, citiesor regions.International Federation of Pedestrians: The goals of IFP are to promote and to defend thepedestrian's right to full access and mobility.FUSSVERKEHR German association for walking mobility.Cycling in the Netherlands (2009) comprehensive document illustrating the differentaspects and tools of cycling policy in the Netherlands.PROMPT is a study about the conditions for pedestrians and presents comprehensivesolutions for improving these conditions.

Organisations involved in advancing walking and cycling mobility:ECF - The European Cyclists Federation (ECF) is pledged to ensure that bicycle useachieves its fullest potential so as to bring about sustainable mobility and public well-being.WALK21 international conference for walking mobility.The Cycling Embassy of Denmarkis a comprehensive network of private companies, localauthorities and non-governmental organisations working together to promote cycling and

communicate cycling solutions and know-how.Dutch Cycling Embassy is a comprehensive network of private companies, NGOs,universities and research institutions and national and local governments.EPOMM is the European Platform on Mobility Management, a network of governments inEuropean countries that are engaged in Mobility Management.80-80cities - their goal is to contribute to the creation of vibrant cities and healthycommunities, where residents live happier and enjoy great public places.

Relevant EU projects about sustainable mobility CHAMP - The focus of CHAMP is the exchange of good practice and lessons learned inleading cycling cities. The purpose is both to improve the cycling strategies in the CHAMPcities and to share the good practice and lessons learned with other European cities to

create safer and more attractive conditions for cycling in Europe.


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CIVITAS - The CIVITAS Initiative ("City-Vitality-Sustainability", or "Cleaner and BetterTransport in Cities") was launched in 2002. Its fundamental aim is to support cities tointroduce ambitious transport measures and policies towards sustainable urban mobility. The

goal of CIVITAS is to achieve a significant shift in the modal split towards sustainabletransport, an objective reached through encouraging both innovative technology and policy-based strategies.Mobile2020aim to stimulate the rethinking of planning processes in small and medium sizedtowns in 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. We want to transfer suitable goodexperiences from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and other countriesand make them applicable in our target countries.ASTUTE is a three-year project aimed at increasing the number of walking and cyclingjourneys in Urban Areas. The project illustrates the main barriers to walking and cycling andoffers a toolkit for overcoming them.ADVANCEaims to improve the urban transport systems in European cities. It supports citiesand municipalities on their way towards a more sustainable urban mobility, thus assisting

them to set up and improve the quality of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) andpolicies.ExtraEnergyaims to raise end customer's awareness of electric mobility, including pedelecs.Life Cycleis a project of the EU's Public Health Programme. The aim is to integrate cyclingas the natural mean of transport in daily life.BAMBINIaims to increase the presence of soft mobility in the lives of small children and tomotivate parents to use car-free mobility to achieve internalisation of eco-friendly means oftransport from early on.BICY. This EU project aims to achieve a widespread modal shift towards cycling and walkingto improve the quality of life and reduce pollution by designing and implementing trans-national, cross-border and national strategies.

EcoMobility SHIFT aims at developing a certification system to improve and promote thesustainability of local governments transport and land-use policies. In addition, municipalitieswill be able to obtain an EcoMobility Label that values their efforts to improve thefriendliness of their cities for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelers and public transport users.CARMA (Cycling Awareness Raising and MArketing) is a target group oriented cyclingcommunication project, which focuses on better cooperation with the selected target groupsand on the integration between communication and infrastructure initiatives on cycling. Theaim of CARMA is to develop new methods for cost-efficient marketing of cycling which leadsto increased cycling.OBISaims to improve the role and the opportunities of bike sharing as a valuable instrumentto foster clean and energy efficient sustainable modes of mobility in urban areas.Active Accessaims to increase the use of cycling but especially walking for short every-daytrips in local areas, in order to benefit peoples health, and the health of the local economy.BYPAD(Bicycle Policy Audit) is a tool to assess the quality of cycling policies in towns, citiesor regions.ASTUTE - Its aim was to increase the number of walking and cycling journeys in UrbanAreas.QUESTdevelops an audit tool that evaluates a city's urban mobility policies. The aim of theQUEST audit is to support cities in their efforts of developing more sustainable urban mobilitysystems.PRO.MOTIONaims to facilitate energy efficient transport forms in the joint field of housingand mobility and to reduce the need for transport by providing services and facilities, whichreplace transport services. PRO.MOTION aims to change mobility behaviour by influencing

peoples travel decisions where the most important ones are made: at home

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