Influencing demand for sustainable transport – promotion of cycling within urban / suburban areas

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.6 / Subcat-No.6.6-1

6. Transport planning

6.6 Urban mobility: "zero/low emission" strategies

Influencing demand for sustainable transport – promotion of cycling within urban / suburban areas

Congestion in urban areas has negative impacts on the economic, the society, the level of health, [and] the environmental and degrades the natural and built environment. In order to preserve and improve the quality of life within cities it is crucial to enhance and promote sustainable mobility. A demand-oriented approach to sustainable mobility is based on information, co-ordination and motivation. Besides, it complements traditional, infrastructure oriented transport planning, and it can be applied to a range of target groups. [1] [2] [7]
There are different ways to positively influence and induce sustainable transport. As this TPM solely focuses on cycling as relevant transport mode, there are two ways to basically influence the demand for cycling: Through infrastructure improvements (1) or by so-called 'soft measures' (2):
(1) (Local) authorities can improve the attractiveness of cycling by expanding their cycling infrastructure. There exist various methods to expand cycling infrastructure, like: introduction of fast cycling lanes, dedication of cycling lanes, designation / generation of bicycle parking’s and introduction of cycling bridges / tunnels. These are 'traditional' and new infrastructure measures. [7]
(2) Furthermore, cities, companies and schools can promote cycling, for example by introducing awareness campaigns, traffic games, road safety assessments, financial incentives (mostly within companies) or educational packages. This measures are often referred to as 'soft measures', which are designed to encourage people to use bicycles (in combination with public transport) for a journey that previously have been made by car. [7]

The implementation examples follow the two methods as mentioned in the above description:
1. CIVITAS (City-Vitality-Sustainability) example Gent - Belgium: Sustainable mobility planning by the construction of bicycle tunnels and bridges; completion of the main bicycle routes; smaller improvements on bicycle routes (plateaus, cycling in one way streets, etc…). Goal: creating an integrated, sustainable mobility policy to reduce the number of cars and promote cycling and public transport. Results so far: 10% more bicycle use on average and a growing number of train commuters cycle between their home and the railway station (+10 % every year). [6]
2. ELTIS (The Urban Mobility Portal) example: Ocean's 11 - Promoting Active Travel in the East End of London. In order to promote a more active lifestyle for the local population, the “Get out Get Active” project was introduced. The project aimed to educate the residents on the rewards of travelling more actively (walking and cycling). Over 60 % of the 800 participants felt healthier at the end of the project than they did at the start (see www.eltis.org for further details).
3. The CIVITAS example of Graz: several infrastructure investments (new cycling zones, new safer junctions, bike & ride facilities) combined with promoting activities (a new electronic route planning that helps cyclists to plan fast and safe bicycle trips, a series of information campaigns, organised tours and other events organised together with professional bicycle retail shops) have led to an increased use of bicycles by 6 %. [7]

The objective is clear: promote cycling and cycle-related multimodal transport and reducing road vehicle usage in order to achieve a more sustainable transport system within cities and urban areas. Promotion of cycling targets to improve the quality of life for citizens and reduce environmental impacts. [1]

Cycling becomes more popular and private automobile usage will decrease. A modal shift occurs from road to slow modes. Moreover, public transport might increase due to increased multimodal transport options.

The accessability of city centres will become easier by slow modes and car trips will end up more often at the edge of cities. (P&R / B&R). It is unlikely that a change of origin/destination due to cycling policies occur, even in case of B&R applications, because the origin and final destination do not change, while the choice of route with different modes change.

No key changes

Change from roads to cycling paths and railroads.

No key changes

No key changes

Energy usage will decline as cycling requires far less energy (for instance no fuel/oil required) compared to passengers cars and even compared to public transport.

[1] European Commission (2007): Green Paper - Towards a new culture for urban mobility, COM (2007) 551 final, Brussels
[2] European Cyclists’ Federation (2011): Call for an integrated European Cycling Policy - ECF Position on the European Commission’s White Paper on Transport, Brussels: ECF Publications
[3] PRESTO consortium (2010): Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode - Cycling Policy Guide - Cycling Infrastructure
[4] PRESTO consortium (2010): Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode - Cycling Policy Guide - Promotion of Cycling
[5] Hout, K. van (2008): Annex I: Literature search bicycle use and influencing factors in Europe. Instituut voor Mobiliteit (IMOB): University of Hasselt
[6] Bekaert, V. (2011): Cycling policy in Ghent, City of Ghent: Mobility Department
[7] Gualdi, M., Proietti, S. (2007): CIVITAS in Europe - A proven framework for progress in urban mobility, Rome: ISIS
[8] European Parliament (2010): Directorate general for internal policies, Policy department B: Structural and cohesion policies: The promotion of cycling, Brussels: European Parliament
[9] Hendriksen, I. Gijlswijk, R. van (2010): Fietsen is groen, gezond en voordelig - Onderbouwing van 10 argumenten om te fietsen, TNO: Leiden (in dutch)
[10] Nijland, H., Wee, B. van (2006): De baten van fietsen en de mogelijkheden van fietsbeleid, Bijdrage aan het Colloquium Vervoersplanologisch Speurwerk 2006, Amsterdam (in dutch)
[11] Andersen, T., et al. (2012): Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012, Copenhagen: Cycling Embassy of Denmark