- Email: [email protected]
Global Focus on Planning for Cyclists:
Pergamon
PII: S0264-2751(00)00046-9
Cities, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 461-463, 2000 0264–2751/00 $ - see front matter
www.elsevier.com/locate/cities
CONFERENCE REPORT
Global Focus on Planning for Cyclists: A report on the VeloMondial Conference, Amsterdam (19–23 June 2000) Johanna Cleary Cleary Hughes Associates, Hucknall, Nottingham
Hugh McClintock* Institute of Urban Planning, School of the Built Environment, University of Nottingham
Nearly 600 people from 47 countries attended the Second Velo Mondial Global Cycling Conference “The Versatile Approach”, held in Amsterdam from 19–23 June 2000. This conference was that much more global than the first Velo-Mondial, in Montreal, in 1992. Asia, Africa and Latin America were well represented in addition to large numbers of participants from North America, Australia and of course Europe. Dutch experience of promoting cycling, and its relevance for other parts of the world, was naturally a recurring theme of discussions both in the formal sessions and informally. These discussions were augmented by the several opportunities participants had to use rented bikes, on guided and unguided tours, to sample local cycling conditions at first hand. Slow, gearless and heavy as many traditional Dutch bikes are it is nevertheless clear that cycling is regarded as a normal activity and indeed clearly very much part of the local culture. There are 16 million bikes in the Netherlands with 16 million people and cycling commonly accounts for 25–30% of trips in urban areas; in some cases more, helped by average trip distances of no more than 6 kilometres. This is facilitated by average densities of urban development being relatively high and indeed by recent policies to increase them further, to help keep cities more compact.
To an outsider it can seem that cycling in the Netherlands is too much taken for granted. There are many good features such as some excellent cycle paths and cycle routes forming an integral part of new developments. Detailed construction and maintenance standards seem relatively high. However, there are also some less positive aspects. Although the sheer numbers of bikes are impressive this very fact can present problems, for example in cycle parking and this is perhaps most evident at stations. Hundreds and in several cases thousands of bikes are left in the vicinity of rail stations, giving a cluttered appearance and sometimes impeding pedestrians and access in general. Cycle theft is often common, especially at unofficial and unguarded parking places. This encourages the use of cheap bikes and ones often in poor condition. Mopeds are common on cycle paths, riding at speeds of 70 km/hour or even more, although new regulations should soon restrict this, to help reduce accidents and improve perceptions of safety. Also soon to change is the law on priority for bikes, from 1 May 2001, drivers being required to give priority to bikes from the right. The current Dutch situation is a European anomaly. More widely, car ownership in the Netherlands is still rising as is car use even for short trips. Many Dutch people still regard the car as providing status. Furthermore decentralization of decision-making has made it harder to support local cycling experiments and exchange good practice since local authorities are less well-placed to do this on their own.
*Tel.: 0115 951 4875; fax: 0115 951 3159; e-mail: [email protected]
461
Conference Report: J Cleary and H McClintock
However, determined efforts are being made to address some of these problems. Most impressive perhaps, and particularly relevant for the UK in view of recent revised draft PPG13 advice to improve access to interchanges by cyclists and pedestrians, are the bold measures to improve cycle parking at stations. Over the next 5 years 450 million gulders (about £150 million) is being spent by the Government on this programme, to expand greatly and upgrade the current facilities, against clearly defined quality criteria, on access, shelter, lighting and spacing, etc. Management and organisational issues, for paid and unpaid cycle parking, are also being carefully addressed. In Utrecht, for example, one of the busiest stations in the Netherlands, the plans will include guarded cycle parking for 20,000 bikes. These allow not just for improvements for the estimated 10,000 bikes now left in the vicinity but also for the plans to expand threefold the capacity of the station itself. This will accommodate many improvements for national and local trains, as well as the new High Speed Line from Amsterdam to Arnhem and Germany. Also in the plans are a new interchange with buses and trams and the rebuilding of the Hooge Katherijne Shopping Centre, an eyesore from 30–40 years ago. This will incorporate plans for better cycle access to and from the Station, from a variety of directions, including the major Leidsche Rijn expansion area to the west. This like Houten new town to the south has been planned to maximise the potential of cycling and walking. The need for quality cycle infrastructure is being addressed in other ways too. This includes some national projects like the 34 km High Speed windprotected Fietssnelweg between Amsterdam and Utrecht and premium cycle routes within urban areas like Amsterdam to permit speeds of 10–15 km/hour, overcoming the disincentive of longer distances now more common with continuing urban expansion. In addition 30 km/hour zones are being extended, to help make ordinary residential roads safer for cycling. Another country with a high level of cycle use and a similar welcome lack of complacency is Denmark where the city of Odense has been the focus of a recent Government demonstration project aiming to improve the general quality of cycling provision and thereby to wean drivers from using cars on short trips. This project also received much attention at the Conference. These initiatives include further refinements on Odense’s pioneer work on safe routes to school, more careful attention to the materials used on cycle paths, especially in historic areas and green light markers based on LEDS (Light Emitting Diodes) on cycle paths to help cyclists pace themselves in approaching traffic lights. Cycling has gone up and accidents have come down. Odense’s Safe Routes to School experience featured in one of the most dramatic presentations of the Conference, with user involvement, to show how Sustrans’ work in the UK, and the measures at one school in York, in particular, had directly benefitted from an exchange of school children 462
between the two cities. The children benefitted from seeing at first hand what things could be like and how safer cycling conditions could give them more independent mobility and freedom. One reason perhaps for this presentation being so impressive, in addition to the evident enthusiasm of the children, was the increasing recognition, mentioned several times in the conference, that we need to be taking urgent action to improve the level of fitness of younger people in many richer countries. A major American report has recently referred to the “time bomb” of this growth in child obesity, fuelled by long hours spent in front of televisions and computers as well as children being ferried around so much in cars. Other practical ideas for promoting cycling were much in evidence with considerable emphasis on the need in doing this for close partnership with a variety of bodies, especially employers, health agencies and user groups. Employers can be quite receptive to arguments about the benefits of reduced absenteeism and a fitter and more productive labour force, as well as reduced car parking requirements. Cycling promotion at the workplace can be linked to individual health monitoring and adult cycle training, as well as the provision of company bikes and financial incentives for cycle ownership and regular use. These types of initiative are now widely available in countries like the Netherlands and even Belgium, with government taxation backing, for example making it possible for employers to give their workers a free bike, tax-free, every 3 years, and also vouchers for accessories and servicing. Examples of close working between local authorities, health agencies, user groups and employers were reported from several places including Cambridge, UK, and a particularly interesting project from Perth, Western Australia. In the latter case 100 fairly sedentary employees were selected for involvement with the incentives of free bikes and equipment. Their progress was monitored and they had to give back their bike if they dropped out for any reason. The results showed significant improvement in terms of various health tests and a more positive attitude to life in general, as well as a majority commitment to continue cycling. The costs were part-funded by the employers and quite significant. The Conference reinforced the importance of soft policies as well as hard ones in promoting cycling but recognising that these are intertwined so that experience of quality infrastructure can reinforce the perception that cycling is beneficial and help change its status, at the same time as making it easier to achieve individual health benefits. A wide range of measures need to be introduced simultaneously, to increase synergy and effectiveness. At the same time as underlining the importance of these basic measures the Conference provided numerous examples of more advanced practical measures. For example Utrecht is now embarking on a sophisti-
Conference Report: J Cleary and H McClintock
cated cycle parking policy, covering storage of bikes in homes and at destinations. This will involve three levels of facility; basic but better quality stands on streets, street level midi facilities (drums) for more security and maxi neighbourhood centres. At guarded cycle parking centres, for example at railway and bus stations and in town centres, a wider range of services is being provided, including ‘Valeting’ and ‘repair’ and rental of pushchairs. Encouraging use of bikes for trips to and from kindergartens in Odense now includes rental of child bike trailers, with much success. Research has found that the Netherlands’ many ethnic minorities are less inclined to use bikes than those of traditional Dutch origin and there are now special programmes in several towns to help teach them, especially ethnic minority women. These take account of different cultural and lifestyle factors, as well as language problems and the fact that such groups often have a poor understanding of basic traffic rules. Many examples were quoted of more attention being given to quality and to various details, not just on cycle paths and cycle parks but also in ensuring more provision of temporary stands at rock concerts and at beaches in summer. Cycle carriage on trains needs clear marking on the trains themselves and on platforms, to help minimise delays, and cycle parking facilities need to be clearly signed, from the street and inside buildings. Many other topics were discussed including long distance cycle routes and cycle tourism and the economic impact of cycling. The EuroVelo project is beginning to develop Europe-wide long distance routes, bringing together National Cycle Networks like the Sustrans network opened in the UK in June 2000. These longer route networks have great potential to boost sustainable tourism. There was much discussion of technical guidance and professional knowledge dissemination issues. How can we ensure that all those involved in planning for cyclists, and pedestrians, are more knowledgeable about the latest guidance and research findings, whether they are full-time cycling coordinators, or primarily engaged on other transport and planning work? Achieving this would assist with continuity of policy and help to improve the quality of cycling provision, some felt. Evidently there is often much ignorance of the needs of more vulnerable users, even among more experienced professionals. User groups would also welcome improved dissemination and training. How do we introduce and maintain ‘benchmarking’ and other systems for promoting quality and exchanging examples of quality practice in cycling provision,
allowing for top down and bottom-up perspectives? Much information on cycling is hard to compare, e.g. in accidents and cycle use. Should we do more to improve and standardise this, to assist target setting and monitoring? How do we take account of differing local, regional and national objectives? How much, in any given local situation, is segregated provision the answer or only part of it? Should cycle networks be dual in nature, with on-road provision for the faster cyclists and slower back street routes and off-road paths for the slower less confident ones? Should cycling provision rely more on area-wide 30 km/hour zones and Home Zones? Can the former work without physical measures if there is strong local community support? Do shared bus lanes always help cyclists or do some examples make local cycling conditions worse? How do we best ensure that new and upgraded tram systems do not result in increased hazards for cyclists? Funding of cycling provision was also a much aired topic with several speakers urging the need for cycling to be funded alongside other transport measures rather than from a separate cycling ‘pot’. This may make it easier to get schemes approved, it was suggested, and may also help get across the idea that cycling is a mainstream transport activity, not just a marginal one. Others emphasised that pragmatism and opportunism are always important! It was widely agreed moreover that every effort should be made to link cycling promotion to other issues like health, air quality and child safety. Traffic management and, ITS in particular, holds out many opportunities to assist cyclists but are we doing enough to make use of these, a researcher from Leeds University wondered. And in any traffic management enforcement is vital and this is often overlooked, e.g. in cycle lanes obstructed by parked cars. Change here too is much needed. The perspective of speakers from the developing world was sometimes different. For example, affordability of bikes is often a major problem in Africa for low-income groups, it was pointed out, and far more people there are likely to be pedestrians than either bike users or car users. Bus services may also be very inadequate or also unaffordable with over-reliance on cheaper but probably much more dangerous and uncomfortable shared taxis. Pedestrians safety, some felt, should clearly be the overwhelming priority, helping to achieve more livable cities, as well as to promote the safety of cyclists. However, it seems that there are still too many examples of big and more glamorous transport projects assisted by the World Bank or other donors where the needs even of pedestrians, let alone cyclists, are completely overlooked.
463
PII: S0264-2751(00)00046-9
Cities, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 461-463, 2000 0264–2751/00 $ - see front matter
www.elsevier.com/locate/cities
CONFERENCE REPORT
Global Focus on Planning for Cyclists: A report on the VeloMondial Conference, Amsterdam (19–23 June 2000) Johanna Cleary Cleary Hughes Associates, Hucknall, Nottingham
Hugh McClintock* Institute of Urban Planning, School of the Built Environment, University of Nottingham
Nearly 600 people from 47 countries attended the Second Velo Mondial Global Cycling Conference “The Versatile Approach”, held in Amsterdam from 19–23 June 2000. This conference was that much more global than the first Velo-Mondial, in Montreal, in 1992. Asia, Africa and Latin America were well represented in addition to large numbers of participants from North America, Australia and of course Europe. Dutch experience of promoting cycling, and its relevance for other parts of the world, was naturally a recurring theme of discussions both in the formal sessions and informally. These discussions were augmented by the several opportunities participants had to use rented bikes, on guided and unguided tours, to sample local cycling conditions at first hand. Slow, gearless and heavy as many traditional Dutch bikes are it is nevertheless clear that cycling is regarded as a normal activity and indeed clearly very much part of the local culture. There are 16 million bikes in the Netherlands with 16 million people and cycling commonly accounts for 25–30% of trips in urban areas; in some cases more, helped by average trip distances of no more than 6 kilometres. This is facilitated by average densities of urban development being relatively high and indeed by recent policies to increase them further, to help keep cities more compact.
To an outsider it can seem that cycling in the Netherlands is too much taken for granted. There are many good features such as some excellent cycle paths and cycle routes forming an integral part of new developments. Detailed construction and maintenance standards seem relatively high. However, there are also some less positive aspects. Although the sheer numbers of bikes are impressive this very fact can present problems, for example in cycle parking and this is perhaps most evident at stations. Hundreds and in several cases thousands of bikes are left in the vicinity of rail stations, giving a cluttered appearance and sometimes impeding pedestrians and access in general. Cycle theft is often common, especially at unofficial and unguarded parking places. This encourages the use of cheap bikes and ones often in poor condition. Mopeds are common on cycle paths, riding at speeds of 70 km/hour or even more, although new regulations should soon restrict this, to help reduce accidents and improve perceptions of safety. Also soon to change is the law on priority for bikes, from 1 May 2001, drivers being required to give priority to bikes from the right. The current Dutch situation is a European anomaly. More widely, car ownership in the Netherlands is still rising as is car use even for short trips. Many Dutch people still regard the car as providing status. Furthermore decentralization of decision-making has made it harder to support local cycling experiments and exchange good practice since local authorities are less well-placed to do this on their own.
*Tel.: 0115 951 4875; fax: 0115 951 3159; e-mail: [email protected]
461
Conference Report: J Cleary and H McClintock
However, determined efforts are being made to address some of these problems. Most impressive perhaps, and particularly relevant for the UK in view of recent revised draft PPG13 advice to improve access to interchanges by cyclists and pedestrians, are the bold measures to improve cycle parking at stations. Over the next 5 years 450 million gulders (about £150 million) is being spent by the Government on this programme, to expand greatly and upgrade the current facilities, against clearly defined quality criteria, on access, shelter, lighting and spacing, etc. Management and organisational issues, for paid and unpaid cycle parking, are also being carefully addressed. In Utrecht, for example, one of the busiest stations in the Netherlands, the plans will include guarded cycle parking for 20,000 bikes. These allow not just for improvements for the estimated 10,000 bikes now left in the vicinity but also for the plans to expand threefold the capacity of the station itself. This will accommodate many improvements for national and local trains, as well as the new High Speed Line from Amsterdam to Arnhem and Germany. Also in the plans are a new interchange with buses and trams and the rebuilding of the Hooge Katherijne Shopping Centre, an eyesore from 30–40 years ago. This will incorporate plans for better cycle access to and from the Station, from a variety of directions, including the major Leidsche Rijn expansion area to the west. This like Houten new town to the south has been planned to maximise the potential of cycling and walking. The need for quality cycle infrastructure is being addressed in other ways too. This includes some national projects like the 34 km High Speed windprotected Fietssnelweg between Amsterdam and Utrecht and premium cycle routes within urban areas like Amsterdam to permit speeds of 10–15 km/hour, overcoming the disincentive of longer distances now more common with continuing urban expansion. In addition 30 km/hour zones are being extended, to help make ordinary residential roads safer for cycling. Another country with a high level of cycle use and a similar welcome lack of complacency is Denmark where the city of Odense has been the focus of a recent Government demonstration project aiming to improve the general quality of cycling provision and thereby to wean drivers from using cars on short trips. This project also received much attention at the Conference. These initiatives include further refinements on Odense’s pioneer work on safe routes to school, more careful attention to the materials used on cycle paths, especially in historic areas and green light markers based on LEDS (Light Emitting Diodes) on cycle paths to help cyclists pace themselves in approaching traffic lights. Cycling has gone up and accidents have come down. Odense’s Safe Routes to School experience featured in one of the most dramatic presentations of the Conference, with user involvement, to show how Sustrans’ work in the UK, and the measures at one school in York, in particular, had directly benefitted from an exchange of school children 462
between the two cities. The children benefitted from seeing at first hand what things could be like and how safer cycling conditions could give them more independent mobility and freedom. One reason perhaps for this presentation being so impressive, in addition to the evident enthusiasm of the children, was the increasing recognition, mentioned several times in the conference, that we need to be taking urgent action to improve the level of fitness of younger people in many richer countries. A major American report has recently referred to the “time bomb” of this growth in child obesity, fuelled by long hours spent in front of televisions and computers as well as children being ferried around so much in cars. Other practical ideas for promoting cycling were much in evidence with considerable emphasis on the need in doing this for close partnership with a variety of bodies, especially employers, health agencies and user groups. Employers can be quite receptive to arguments about the benefits of reduced absenteeism and a fitter and more productive labour force, as well as reduced car parking requirements. Cycling promotion at the workplace can be linked to individual health monitoring and adult cycle training, as well as the provision of company bikes and financial incentives for cycle ownership and regular use. These types of initiative are now widely available in countries like the Netherlands and even Belgium, with government taxation backing, for example making it possible for employers to give their workers a free bike, tax-free, every 3 years, and also vouchers for accessories and servicing. Examples of close working between local authorities, health agencies, user groups and employers were reported from several places including Cambridge, UK, and a particularly interesting project from Perth, Western Australia. In the latter case 100 fairly sedentary employees were selected for involvement with the incentives of free bikes and equipment. Their progress was monitored and they had to give back their bike if they dropped out for any reason. The results showed significant improvement in terms of various health tests and a more positive attitude to life in general, as well as a majority commitment to continue cycling. The costs were part-funded by the employers and quite significant. The Conference reinforced the importance of soft policies as well as hard ones in promoting cycling but recognising that these are intertwined so that experience of quality infrastructure can reinforce the perception that cycling is beneficial and help change its status, at the same time as making it easier to achieve individual health benefits. A wide range of measures need to be introduced simultaneously, to increase synergy and effectiveness. At the same time as underlining the importance of these basic measures the Conference provided numerous examples of more advanced practical measures. For example Utrecht is now embarking on a sophisti-
Conference Report: J Cleary and H McClintock
cated cycle parking policy, covering storage of bikes in homes and at destinations. This will involve three levels of facility; basic but better quality stands on streets, street level midi facilities (drums) for more security and maxi neighbourhood centres. At guarded cycle parking centres, for example at railway and bus stations and in town centres, a wider range of services is being provided, including ‘Valeting’ and ‘repair’ and rental of pushchairs. Encouraging use of bikes for trips to and from kindergartens in Odense now includes rental of child bike trailers, with much success. Research has found that the Netherlands’ many ethnic minorities are less inclined to use bikes than those of traditional Dutch origin and there are now special programmes in several towns to help teach them, especially ethnic minority women. These take account of different cultural and lifestyle factors, as well as language problems and the fact that such groups often have a poor understanding of basic traffic rules. Many examples were quoted of more attention being given to quality and to various details, not just on cycle paths and cycle parks but also in ensuring more provision of temporary stands at rock concerts and at beaches in summer. Cycle carriage on trains needs clear marking on the trains themselves and on platforms, to help minimise delays, and cycle parking facilities need to be clearly signed, from the street and inside buildings. Many other topics were discussed including long distance cycle routes and cycle tourism and the economic impact of cycling. The EuroVelo project is beginning to develop Europe-wide long distance routes, bringing together National Cycle Networks like the Sustrans network opened in the UK in June 2000. These longer route networks have great potential to boost sustainable tourism. There was much discussion of technical guidance and professional knowledge dissemination issues. How can we ensure that all those involved in planning for cyclists, and pedestrians, are more knowledgeable about the latest guidance and research findings, whether they are full-time cycling coordinators, or primarily engaged on other transport and planning work? Achieving this would assist with continuity of policy and help to improve the quality of cycling provision, some felt. Evidently there is often much ignorance of the needs of more vulnerable users, even among more experienced professionals. User groups would also welcome improved dissemination and training. How do we introduce and maintain ‘benchmarking’ and other systems for promoting quality and exchanging examples of quality practice in cycling provision,
allowing for top down and bottom-up perspectives? Much information on cycling is hard to compare, e.g. in accidents and cycle use. Should we do more to improve and standardise this, to assist target setting and monitoring? How do we take account of differing local, regional and national objectives? How much, in any given local situation, is segregated provision the answer or only part of it? Should cycle networks be dual in nature, with on-road provision for the faster cyclists and slower back street routes and off-road paths for the slower less confident ones? Should cycling provision rely more on area-wide 30 km/hour zones and Home Zones? Can the former work without physical measures if there is strong local community support? Do shared bus lanes always help cyclists or do some examples make local cycling conditions worse? How do we best ensure that new and upgraded tram systems do not result in increased hazards for cyclists? Funding of cycling provision was also a much aired topic with several speakers urging the need for cycling to be funded alongside other transport measures rather than from a separate cycling ‘pot’. This may make it easier to get schemes approved, it was suggested, and may also help get across the idea that cycling is a mainstream transport activity, not just a marginal one. Others emphasised that pragmatism and opportunism are always important! It was widely agreed moreover that every effort should be made to link cycling promotion to other issues like health, air quality and child safety. Traffic management and, ITS in particular, holds out many opportunities to assist cyclists but are we doing enough to make use of these, a researcher from Leeds University wondered. And in any traffic management enforcement is vital and this is often overlooked, e.g. in cycle lanes obstructed by parked cars. Change here too is much needed. The perspective of speakers from the developing world was sometimes different. For example, affordability of bikes is often a major problem in Africa for low-income groups, it was pointed out, and far more people there are likely to be pedestrians than either bike users or car users. Bus services may also be very inadequate or also unaffordable with over-reliance on cheaper but probably much more dangerous and uncomfortable shared taxis. Pedestrians safety, some felt, should clearly be the overwhelming priority, helping to achieve more livable cities, as well as to promote the safety of cyclists. However, it seems that there are still too many examples of big and more glamorous transport projects assisted by the World Bank or other donors where the needs even of pedestrians, let alone cyclists, are completely overlooked.
463