The encouragement and promotion of cycling is still an emerging field. Research into the area of cycle encouragement helps to refine techniques to ensure they are an effective means of increasing cycle participation. The following research papers are offered to assist practitioners maximise the effectiveness of their programs.
- Bauman, A. Rissel, C. Garrard, J. Ker, I. Speidel, R. and Fishman, E. (2008) Cycling: Getting Australia Moving: Barriers, facilitators and interventions to get more Australians physically active through cycling, Cycling Promotion Fund, Melbourne
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In August 2007, the Cycling Promotion Fund was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to develop a report on bicycle participation by Australian adults.
The Cycling Promotion Fund was specifically asked to investigate the contribution cycling can make to the health of adult Australians, what barriers exist to increasing participation and what can be done to overcome these hurdles.
The Cycling Promotion Fund engaged four notable academics/practitioners from the fields of health, transport and economics to address these questions. - Rissel, C., Garrard, J., 2006, Cycling for active transport and recreation in Australia: Status review and future directions, Vol. 13, p. 49 – 63, World Transport Policy and Practice, UK.
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This paper reviews the position of the bicycle in Australia, as a form of transport and recreation. The paper identifies the various influences on people’s decision to ride and highlights gender differences in participation and requirements. It is a helpful tool for planners to better understand how to encourage greater cycling participation in Australia. - Robinson, D.L., 2005, Safety in numbers in Australia: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, Vol. 16, Issue 1, p. 47-51.
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This Australian study finds that as the numbers of cyclists increase, rates of injury reduce. - Bowles, H.R., Rissel, C., Bauman, A., 2006, Mass community cycling events: who participates and is their behaviour influenced by participation?, The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Vo. 2, Issue 39.
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This research paper investigates the type of people participating in mass cycling events and the subsequent effect on cycling behaviour. - Department of Human Services, 2004, Planning for healthy communities, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
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This comprehensive document outlines the most effective health promotion strategies for preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Cycling features throughout the document for its ability to reduce the level of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in the community. - Greig, R., 2005, Cycling promotion in Western Australia, Premier’s Physical Activity Taskforce, Presentation given at Planning for Healthy Communities Conference, Brisbane, October.
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This presentation gauges the view from cyclists and non-cyclists regarding the factors that encourage and discourage cycling amongst the public.
- Air Quality Sciences, 2006, Indoor Air Quality Hazards of New Cars, Air Quality Sciences Inc, United States.
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This paper outlines the harmful chemical exposure from the interior of new cars. - Andersen, L.B., et al., 2000, All-cause mortality associated with physical activity during leisure time, work, sports, and cycling to work, Archives of Internal Medicine, 160(11): p. 1621-1628.
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This highly regarded Danish study assessed the health status of 30,000 people over a 14 year period to measure the health benefits of cycling. The researchers found that, with all other factors being equal, simply cycling to work lowered the risk of death by 40%. - Dora, C., Phillips, M., 2000, Transport, heath and the environment, World Health Organisation, Regional Publications, European Series No. 89, Copenhagen.
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A landmark publication on the inter-relationship between transport, health and the environment. This paper offers a comprehensive outline of the importance of reducing car use and increasing the proportion of trips conducted by active modes of transport. - Jacobsen, P.L., 2003, Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling, Injury Prevention, Vol. 9, pp. 205-209.
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This paper found that as the numbers of pedestrians and cyclists increase, the level of road traffic injury reduces. It concludes by saying that policies that increase the level of walking and cycling improve their level of safety. - Litman, T., 2004, Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized transportation for achieving mobility management objectives, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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This paper outlines the numerous benefits associated with active transport modes such as cycling. It discusses the methods available to quantify the social, economic, environmental and transport benefits of cycling. - Litman, T., 2007, Win-win transportation solutions: Smart transportation strategies can achieve emission reduction targets and provide other important economic, social and environmental benefits, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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This paper introduces a range of market-based policy reforms aimed at increasing transport efficiency, improving health and reducing emissions. - Pucher, J., 2007, Cycling is for everyone: The key to public and political support, Rutgers University, New Jersey.
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A presentation by one of the world’s leading transport academics on the relationship between transport and health, with a particular focus on cycling. This presentation provides a comprehensive set of data and imagery outlining the importance of increasing rates of cycling and what needs to be done to make it happen. - Pucher, J., Dijkstra, L., 2003, Promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany, American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 93, No. 9.
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This research paper assesses the public health consequences of unsafe and unattractive walking and cycling amenity. It does this through an examination of conditions in US cities and compares them to the Netherlands and Germany. This paper is instructive to Australian and New Zealand planners despite its US and European focus.
- Spreekmeester, R., Wittink, R., Van Den Berg, J., 2000, The economic significance of cycling: A study to illustrate the costs and benefits of cycling policy, VNG Uitgeverij, The Hague.
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An important, unique contribution, this document assesses the various costs and benefits of cycling. Their wide ranging analysis covers the costs of traffic and infrastructure, economic considerations and the health and environmental benefits of cycling, to name just a few. - Whitelegg, J., undated, Dirty from cradle to grave.
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Leading sustainable transport expert, Professor John Whitelegg explains the environmental and health impacts of car production and use, from cradle to grave. - Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, 2007, Creating a city that works: Opportunities and solutions for a more sustainable Melbourne, Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
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This position paper from the Victorian Government appointed Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability refocuses the need for people to be at the centre of transport and land use planning. The recommendations contained in this landmark paper, although intended for Melbourne, are broadly relevant to any car dependent city. - Tranter, P., May, M., 2005, Using the concept of Effective Speed as a stimulus for travel behaviour change and policy development, University of New South Wales for the Australian Greenhouse Office, Australian Government.
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Effective speed incorporates the time required to earn the money to cover all the costs associated with car ownership and use into vehicle speed. This calculation results in some surprising effective speeds for different modes of transport. Bicycles emerge as one of the fastest forms of transport. - Litman, T., 2004, Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized transportation for achieving mobility management objectives, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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This paper outlines the numerous benefits associated with active transport modes such as cycling. It discusses the methods available to quantify the social, economic, environmental and transport benefits of cycling.
- Sustrans, 2006, Economic appraisal of local walking and cycling routes, Sustrans, Bristol, UK.
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A UK based assessment of the economic benefits of active transport modes such as cycling. Using the UK Government’s method of evaluating the economic benefits of transport, walking and cycling are demonstrated as having a 20:1 cost benefit ratio. - Sustrans, 2006, Methodology used in the economic appraisal of local walking and cycling routes, Sustrans, Bristol, UK.
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Explains the methodology used in the economic appraisal of local walking and cycling routes, Sustrans, Bristol, UK. - Bowles, H.R., Rissel, C., Bauman, A., 2006, Mass community cycling events: who participates and is their behaviour influenced by participation?, The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Vol. 2, Issue 39.
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This research paper investigates the type of people participating in mass cycling events and the subsequent effect on cycling behaviour. - Telfer, B., Rissel, C., Bindon, J., Bosch, T., 2006, Encouraging cycling through a pilot cycling proficiency training program among adults in central Sydney, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Vol. 9, p. 151 – 156.
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This paper evaluates the effectiveness of bicycle proficiency training on future rates of riding participation. - Rose, G., 2003, Bikes and travel behaviour change – a transport engineers perspective, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Melbourne. Presentation at Connecting Cycling, Canberra, 20 - 21 November.
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This presentation explores the balance between travel behaviour change programs such as TravelSmart, with other methods of encouragement, such as bicycle infrastructure improvements. - Rose, G., Marfurt, H., Harbutt, P., 2003, Using a ride to work day event to promote travel behaviour change, Presented at the 26th Australasian Transport Research Forum, Wellington, New Zealand, October 1 -3.
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This research paper investigates the effect of the Ride to Work initiatives on sustained cycling participation. - TravelSmart Victoria, website, TravelSmart Research.
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A large bank of research on TravelSmart and other behaviour change initiatives focused on reducing car use. - TravelSmart Victoria, website, Workplace case studies.
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This site provides a range of local and international case studies, documenting the adoption of workplace TravelSmart programs in a variety of settings. - TravelSmart Victoria, website, Cycling and walking benefits.
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Provides evidence on the benefits of walking and cycling, focused on workplace outcomes, such as absenteeism.
International
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Steer Davies Gleave (2008), Report for Transport for London - "CYCLING IN LONDON"
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This summary highlights key findings from a review of well over one hundred studies connected with cycling, ranging from qualitative research to large scale travel surveys such as the LTDS (London Travel Demand Survey).
Increasing cycling in London is integral to the vision to develop London as an exemplary sustainable world city [10, 2004]. This is because there are substantial economic, health and personal benefits associated with cycling, which could potentially be incorporated into everyday life for 28% of Londoners with access to a bike [66, 2004]. -
Martens, K. (2007) "Promoting bike-and-ride: The Dutch experience", Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Volume 41, Issue 4, May 2007, Pages 326-338. Research paper available for purchase from Science Direct
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The number of policy initiatives to promote the use of bike-and-ride, or the combined use of bicycle and public transport for one trip, has grown considerably over the past decade as part of the search for more sustainable transport solutions. This paper discusses the experiences with, and impacts of, such initiatives in the Netherlands. The Dutch measures to promote bicycle use in access trips have been generally successful. A country-wide program to upgrade regular and secure bicycle parking at train stations has led to an increase in user satisfaction and a growth in bicycles parked at stations.
