Europe
Engineering and Planning
- CABE space, (2009) Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
- Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets (summary) (PDF, 616.40 kb) View PDF
- Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets (full report) (PDF, 5.89 mb) View PDF
In Making the invisible visible: the real value of park assets CABE challenges the ‘invisibility’ of parks and green spaces within current asset management planning. An improved understanding of the current value of park and green space assets is an important first step in better strategic management and in assisting local authorities in using their assets to make a positive difference to communities.
- Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets (summary) (PDF, 616.40 kb) View PDF
- SQW consulting, (2008) Planning for Cycling, Report (1.2 Meg) prepared for Cycling England
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SQW consulting, (2008) Planning for Cycling, Executive Summary, prepared for Cycling England
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The aim (of the report) is to encourage local authorities to treat cycling investments alongside mainstream transport projects, balancing the full costs and benefits for each case before making rational decisions. The report finds that despite good intentions, the challenges of understanding and applying the full benefits, and a lack of evidence on the performance of cycling investments, remain obstacles to achieving this aim. - Sustainable Planning & Innovation for biCYCLES
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Spicycles, (2009) CYCLING ON THE RISE - Public Bicycles and Other European Experiences (3.6 Meg)
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When the Spicycles project was launched in 2006, cycling was not the “hot” mode of transport that it has become today. As project partners, we wanted to gather experience related to specific areas of cycling policy. We were keen to explore how key elements such as communication and awareness raising, and the building of local partnerships, might increase themodal share of cycling. We had big expectations at the beginning of the project regarding cycling planning, but could not have predicted the explosion in the popularity of public bicycle systems that has taken place during Spicycles. - European Conference of Ministers, 2004, Implementing Sustainable Urban Travel Policies: Moving Ahead, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris.
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This paper provides an overview of national level policies aimed at encouraging cycling. It highlights the importance of national level policy commitment concerning cycling, to ensure an appropriate framework is in place for the development of more detailed, localised actions. - The European Network for Cycling Expertise, undated, Cycling and Planning, The European Network for Cycling Expertise, Amsterdam.
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Cycling and Planning outlines the needs of cyclists, in terms of infrastructure and land use planning requirements. It describes the key criteria that must be satisfied in order to encourage people to cycle. Emphasis is placed on an integrated approach that accounts for both immediate infrastructure as well as broad land use planning concepts, such as urban density. - 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, although it is written with a US and European focus. - Pucher, J. & Buelher, R., 2007, World Transport Policy and Practice, Volume 13 No. 3, At the Frontiers of Cycling: Policy Innovations in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Eco-Logica Ltd
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This article presents 6 detailed studies of cycling in the Nertherlands, Denmark and Germany. They represent the best in coordinated policies and programs to make cycling safe, convenient and attractive. On offer are many lessons to the Western World about the best ways to encourage more cycling. - Case Study - Quartier Vauban in the southwestern German city of Freiburg in Breisgau
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Case study from StreetsWiki an overview with links on Quartier Vauban. The sustainable neighborhood of 5,000 residents live in the historic college town of 225,000 residents. Planning for the neighborhood began in 1993 and development was largely completed in 2006. The 84-acre neighborhood is located on the southern border of the city, two miles from the historic OldTown. The Quartier Vauban represents the state of the art in environmental protection in terms of transportation, alternative energy production, and sustainable construction techniques.
Encouragement and Promotion
- Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) (2009) "Safety In Numbers: Halving the risks of cycling", Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX / Visit Site / 0844 736 8450
CTC WEbsite: Visit Site
‘Safety in Numbers’ document: View PDFhttp://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Campaigns/CTC_Safety_in_Numbers.pdf (4 Mb)
Countries in Europe with high levels of cycle use tend to be less risky for cyclists. In Denmark, people cycle over 900 kilometres a year and it is a far safer country to cycle in than Portugal, where barely 30 km is covered by each person by bike annually. - The Bike-sharing Blog
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A blog / website site that has gathered information on all the major bike sharing business programs around the world. - 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]. - 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. - 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. - Pucher,J. & Buehler (2008) Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, Transport Reviews, Vol. 28
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This paper shows how the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany have made bicycling a safe, convenient and practical way to get around their cities. The analysis relies on national aggregate data as well as case studies of large and small cities in each country. The key to achieving high levels of cycling appears to be the provision of separate cycling facilities along heavily travelled roads and at intersections, combined with traffic calming of most residential neighbourhoods.
Enforcement and Road Safety
- The potential for cycle helmets to prevent injury - A review of the evidence
D Hynd, R Cuerden, S Reid, S Adams, (2009), UK's Transport Research Laboratory
There has been much debate in the literature and elsewhere regarding cycle helmets and their potential to prevent injury. This cycle helmet safety research report was commissioned to provide a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of cycle helmets in the event of an on-road accident, building on previous work undertaken for the Department for Transport (Towner et al., 2002). The programme of work evaluates the effectiveness of cycle helmets from several perspectives, including a review current test Standards; a biomechanical investigation of their potential limitations; a review of recent literature; and finally an assessment of the casualties who could be prevented if cycle helmets were more widely used. This report focuses on understanding whether cycle helmets reduce the frequency and severity of injury in the event of a collision. It does not include detailed consideration of whether wearing (or not wearing) a helmet influences the likelihood of being involved in an accident, either through behaviour changes in the rider or in other road users. The project concludes that in the event of an on-road accident, cycle helmets would be expected to be effective in a range of real-world accident conditions, particularly the most common accidents that do not involve a collision with another vehicle and are often believed to consist of simple falls or tumbles over the handlebars.
Visit Site - Vulnerable Road Users thoroughly addressed in accident prevention: the WATCH-OVER European project
Luisa Andreone, Filippo Visintainer, Gerd Wanielik
The European Specific Targeted Project WATCH-OVER is co-funded by the European Commission Information Society and Media within the initiatives of the cooperative systems for traffic safety and efficiency based on communication and sensor technologies. The project, supported by EUCAR, is coordinated by Centro Ricerche Fiat and includes in its consortium vehicle and motorcycle makers, technology, automotive suppliers and research centres for the design, development and testing phase. The core concept of the project, presented in this paper, is to enable the future availability of a modular cooperative system that will bring together sensor and communication technologies permitting to all road users (the vehicles, the motorcycles, the bicycles, the pedestrians) to take an active part in the reduction of the number of accidents that involve vulnerable road users. The paper gives also a highlight of the definition of the relevant cases of use and anticipates the architectural approach.
View PDF - The effect of cycle lanes on the proximity between motor traffic and cycle traffic.
John Parkin Ciaran Meyers (2009) Civil Engineering: Journal Articles
The analysis shows that significantly wider passing distances are adopted by motorists in the condition without a 1.45 metre cycle lane, with posted speed limits of 40mph and 50mph with a 9.5 metre wide carriageway. These findings were not replicated for a similar width road with a posted speed limit of 30mph and a 1.3 metre cycle lane.
Visit Site - Improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Great Britain
Forty–ninth Report of Session 2008–09, Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 15 July 2009
More generally, pedestrians and pedal cyclists (cyclists) are among the most vulnerable road users. They have little or no physical protection and have a higher rate of fatality per distance travelled than for any other mode of transport except for motorcyclists. In 2007, over 30,000 pedestrians and 16,000 cyclists were injured, with 646 pedestrians and 136 cyclists killed.
The Department leads the promotion of road safety with a budget of £36 million in 2008–09, although most of the measures to improve road safety are carried out by local highway authorities with whom it must work closely.
View PDF - Mapping bicycle use and the risk of accidents for commuters who cycle to work in Belgium
Grégory Vandenbulcke, Isabelle Thomas, Bas de Geus, Bart Degraeuwe, Rudi Torfs, Romain Meeusen, Luc Int Panis (2009) Transport Policy, Volume 16, Issue 2, March 2009, Pages 77-87
This paper explores the spatial patterns of bicycle use for commuting and the risk cyclists run being injured in a road accident when commuting to work in Belgium. Exploratory data analyses suggest that the observed differences in the use of the bicycle to get to work are strongly linked to the urban hierarchy: commuters are more inclined to cycle in cities and specifically in regional towns (with 25 000 to 120 000 inhabitants). In large cities (more than 200 000 inhabitants), less commuting by bicycle takes place. The relationship between bicycle use and the risk of being seriously injured or killed in a road accident is also studied. A cluster analysis confirms that high proportions of commuter cyclists are correlated with low risks of becoming a casualty. It also shows that there are strong spatial differences (regional and between different types of towns) in bicycle use and the risk of an accident. This suggests that cycling policies should be spatially differentiated.
Visit Site - Witink, R., 2003, Planning for cycling and walking as a catalyst for a successful road safety policy for all users, Contribution to Sustainable Transport: Planning for walking and cycling in urban environments, ed. Rodney Tolley, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, UK
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Visit Site - John Franklin, website, Cyclecraft Cycling Digest, (UK)
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A research digest on many topics from the author of the Cyclecraft Visit Site, it is recommended reading for the UK National Cycle Training Standard, Bikeability Visit Site . On safety, Cycle path safety: A summary of research Visit Site is useful. - Pucher, J., Dijkstra, L., 2000, Making walking and cycling safer: Lessons from Europe, Transportation Quarterly, Volume 54 (3), p.25-50
View PDF - Howarth, C.I., 1982, The need for regular monitoring of the exposure of pedestrians and cyclists to traffic, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 14, Issue 5, Oct 1982, pp. 341-344 (Article available for a fee from ScienceDirect.com Visit Site )
ScandinaviaEngineering and Planning
- Danish Roads Directorate, 2000, Collection of Cycle Concepts, Government of Denmark, Copenhangen.
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The Collection of Cycle Concepts is a comprehensive Danish publication on cycling. It offers a wide ranging, yet detailed analysis and discussion on promotion, urban planning, facility design, signage and parking. Although some of it is specific to Denmark, much of the content is internationally relevant.
Education and Training
- Danish Roads Directorate, 2000, Collection of Cycle Concepts, Government of Denmark, Copenhagen.
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The Collection of Cycle Concepts is a comprehensive Danish publication on cycling. It offers a wide ranging, yet detailed analysis and discussion on education, promotion, and urban planning for cycling. Although some of it is specific to Denmark, much of the content is internationally relevant. - Haake, B. (2009) "The Importance of Bicyclist Education" World Transport Policy and Practice, Vol. 15, No. 1, May 2009, pp. 47 - 56, Rutgers University Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
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Encouragement and Promotion
- 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.
Enforcement and Road Safety
- A psychological perspective on factors important for bicycle use. A literature review
Louise Eriksson, (2009) VTI report 652 (30 pages, 213 kB, written in Swedish with an English summary)
The bicycle is not a dominant travel mode compared to other travel modes, particularly in the USA, neither in many European countries. In Sweden, 10 per cent of the trips are made by bicycle. However, since a higher level of bicycle use can have positive effects on personal health as well as on the environment, it is important to understand determinants of bicycle use. In this literature review, psychological factors important for the use of bicycle and policies that may be used in order to increase bicycle use have been described. In addition, different groups of cyclists (e.g., depending on sociodemografic factors and propensity to cycle) and how the physical context influence cycling are considered briefly.
Summary - Visit Site
Document - View PDF - Preferences and behaviour of pedestrians and cyclists by age and gender
Bernhoft, I.M. & Carstensen, G., (2007) Transport Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, October 2007 - (Article available for a fee from ScienceDirect.com Visit Site)
