Bicycle plans are an increasingly common method for government authorities to outline their strategy for accommodating and encouraging bicycle use. These planning documents offer the strategic framework to implement bicycle initiatives in a manner consistent with the organisational requirements and objectives of the relevant agency.
The following documents are offered to assist practitioners in the development, review and implementation of bicycle strategies and plans:
Australia:
- Austroads, The National Cycling Strategy, 2005 – 2010, Austroads, Australian Government.
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The Australian National Cycling Strategy is the commitment of all Australian governments to increasing the national level of cycling. - Bicycle Federation of Australia, 2006, Bikeability Toolkit, Australian Greenhouse Office, Australian Government, Canberra.
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The Bikeability Toolkit provides a practical checklist and relevant resources to assist local and state governments, as well as developers and community groups to improve the physical and social conditions for cycling. - Rissel, C., Garrard, J., 2006, Cycling for active transport and recreation in Australia: Status review and future directions, World Transport Policy and Practice, Vol. 13, p. 49 – 63.
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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.
New South Wales:
- City of Sydney, 2007, Cycling Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2017, City of Sydney.
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The City of Sydney Cycle Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2017 is Council’s commitment to increasing the attractiveness of cycling. It specifically aims to improve the level of bicycle friendliness, increase safety, market the benefits of cycling and raise the proportion of trips conducted by bicycle. - Roads and Traffic Authority, 1999, Action for Bikes: Bike Plan 2010, Roads and Traffic Authority, New South Wales Government, Sydney.
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Action for Bikes is a four point plan to improve conditions for cycling in NSW. The plan consists of improving the cycle network, increasing safety, improving health and environmental outcomes and marketing the benefits of cycling. - Roads and Traffic Authority, 2002, How to Prepare a Bike Plan: An Easy Three Stage Guide, Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW Government, Sydney.
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How to Prepare a Bike Plan is an informative, step-by-step guide for local government’s seeking to develop a bike plan. Although it is intended for NSW local councils, much of the content is easily transferable to other states and territories. - The Cooks River Cycleway is an example of multiple government agencies and community groups working together to create a commuter and recreational cycle route that links various areas and interconnects with destination hubs and public transport.
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Queensland:
- Queensland Transport, 2006, Developing a local cycle strategy and local government plan, Queensland Transport, Queensland Government.
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The purpose of this Cycle Note is to provide guidance to local government in the development of local cycle strategies. - Queensland Transport, 2003, Queensland Cycle Strategy, Queensland Transport, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
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The Queensland Cycle Strategy aims to create the conditions under which cycling is seen as a safe and convenient form of transport and recreation. The strategy seeks to integrate cycling throughout government strategies, standards and guidelines to enable bicycle initiatives to be incorporated throughout government activities and projects. - Queensland Transport, 2006, Policy context for cycling in Queensland, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
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This document describes the importance of undertaking action on cycling in a manner consistent with national, state and regional policy frameworks. This policy context is broadened to include environment and health strategies, in addition to specific cycling policy.
South Australia:
- Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, 2006, Safety in Numbers: A Cycling Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010, Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, Government of South Australia.
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The South Australian Cycling Strategy is the government’s commitment to increasing the safety, convenience and attractiveness of cycling. The strategy highlights safety and perceptions of safety are primary factors influencing the rate of cycle participation. The document strongly identifies that as more people cycle, the safer it becomes. A doubling of cycle trips by 2015 is a core goal.
Victoria:
- Victorian Local Government Association, website, Thinking Transport
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A toolkit to assist local government with integrated transport planning. - Bayside City Council, 2003, Bicycle Strategy, Bayside City Council, Melbourne.
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A high quality, comprehensive document outlining Bayside City Council’s commitment to encouraging cycling. - Department of Infrastructure, 2006, Meeting Our Transport Challenges, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
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Meeting Our Transport Challenges (MOTC) is the Victorian Government’ blueprint for transport planning for the next 25 years. It outlines the government’s commitment to both increasing the cycle network and promoting it through behaviour change initiatives. Action 8 of MOTC is titled Promoting smarter, healthier travel choices and contains specific commitments to cycling. - City of Melbourne, 2002, Bike Plan 2002-2007: A Transportation Strategy, City of Melbourne.
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The Bike Plan 2002-2007 is Council’s commitment to increasing the bicycle friendliness of the City of Melbourne. The Plan identifies safety, connectivity, infrastructure and communication as key areas of action to fulfil its vision of a bicycle friendly City. - 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 program such as TravelSmart, with other methods of encouragement, such as bicycle infrastructure improvements.
Tasmania:
- Launceston Bicycle Plan 2005 - 2010 – developed by the Launceston City Council Bicycle Committee
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A high quality, comprehensive document outlining Launceston City Council’s commitment to encouraging cycling.
Western Australia:
- Department of Planning and Infrastructure, 1996, Bike Ahead: Bicycle Strategy for the 21st Century, Government of Western Australia.
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Bike Ahead is the Western Australian Government’s plan to build the level of cycle participation across the state. - Bicycle Victoria, website, Local Streets for Cycling and Walking
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This webpage is presented as a toolbox for local government to assist in the development of bicycle friendly local street design.
International:
- Ministry of Transport, 2006, Getting there – on foot, by cycle: Strategic Implementation Plan 2006 – 2009, Ministry of Transport, New Zealand.
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Getting there is a long term planning document that seeks to promote walking and cycling as a form of transport throughout New Zealand. - Land Transport New Zealand, 2005, Regional Land Transport Guidelines, New Zealand Government, Christchurch.
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This report provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for those reviewing regional land transport strategies. Although it is written for Land Transport NZ staff, others may find it useful. - Litman, T., Blair, R., Demopoulos, B., Eddy, N., Fritzel, A., Laidlaw, D., Maddox, H., Forster, K., 2002, Pedestrian and bicycle planning: A guide to best practice, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
A thorough guide to best practice pedestrian and bicycle planning. This is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to achieve better planning outcomes for pedestrians and cyclists. An extensive list of references allows for convenient research opportunities. - Macbeth, A.G., Boulter, R., Ryan, P. S., 2005, New Zealand walking and cycling strategies - best practice, Research Report 274, Land Transport New Zealand, Wellington.
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This report offers a collection of New Zealand and some international walking and cycling strategies, highlighting examples of best practice. It aims to simplify the task of developing walking and cycling strategies, as well as reviewing existing documents. - Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Bikeability checklist
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A practical guide designed to evaluate the bicycle friendliness of particular localities. Although it was developed in the United States, the majority of the content is relevant to the Australian and New Zealand context. - 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. - 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 promotion, urban planning, facility design, signage and parking. Although some of it is specific to Denmark, much of the content is internationally relevant. - Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Policy and Planning
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United States orientated, web based information centre covering a wide variety of topics on walking and cycling issues. This Policy and Planning link offers links to a large number of US walking and cycling strategy documents, as well as the benefits of cycling. - Pucher, J., Buehler, R., 2006, Why Canadians cycle more than Americans: A comparative analysis of bicycling trends and policies, Transport Policy, Vol. 13, p. 265 – 279.
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This research paper, although North American focused, offers an important explanation of how transport and land use policies influence rates of cycling. - 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. - USA Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program
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This interim report to Congress summarizes the progress and initial results of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) and the four pilot communities' participation in the Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) from its inception through May 2007.
Section 1807 of the Safe, Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), P.L. 109-59, established the NTPP in August 2005. Over the span of 4 years, the legislation provides $25 million in contract authority for each of the NTPP's four pilot communities (Columbia, Missouri; Marin County, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Sheboygan County, Wisconsin) "to construct ... a network of non-motorized transportation infrastructure facilities, including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian and bicycle trails, that connect directly with transit stations, schools, residences, businesses, recreation areas, and other community activity centers."
The purpose of the NTPP as stated in Section 1807 is "to demonstrate the extent to which bicycling and walking can carry a significant part of the transportation load, and represent a major portion of the transportation solution, within selected communities." The final report is expected to be release in 2011.
