As cities improve their suitability for cycling, here are some guiding principles for authorities and agencies to make sure infrastructure meets the needs of cyclists
By Craig Thomas
1. Location, location, location
The location of any new cycling infrastructure should be well researched and based on local mobility use. It’s no good going through a consultation process and starting work if there aren’t many cyclists in the area – or if local cyclists still feel unsafe using the dedicated lanes. If you build it, they won’t necessarily come.
2. Political power pays off
The establishment of a cycling infrastructure invariably has an effect on the highways used by drivers – who tend not to like their space reduced. There will be pushback from drivers – and businesses that rely on drivers – so the politicians backing the project have to be committed to serving the needs of not just the cyclists, but the urban environment as a whole.
3. Silence the critics with facts
There will be many groups and individuals who will oppose the establishment of cycling infrastructure, so it’s important to have solid evidence to support its case. Data on passenger numbers, modal use etc can show patterns and changing mobility trends that support the case for cycling infrastructure projects.
4. Put yourself on the bike
The modal shift to cycling has many reasons to recommend it – but they are all irrelevant if citizens don’t feel safe riding in close proximity to faster, heavier vehicles. Creating the space for safer cycling will often take time, with permanent solutions only possible in future years. In the meantime, however, temporary solutions such as “wands” to separate traffic from cyclists can establish both an early form of the scheme, giving cyclists something that they can use now – and the credentials of the body responsible for the cycling project.
5. Accept the space constraints
Urban and metropolitan drivers invariably have to deal with congestion on a daily basis, so reducing the number of lanes or parking spaces is not going to go down well. Taking space away from drivers won’t be popular, but it is necessary in order to create enough space to enable safe cycling. Monitor the data and facts to demonstrate that the distribution of road space is unequal and the measures being taken help rebalance transport modes.
6. Think tech!
In the face of pushback from car users (and any unintended consequences from the initial plan), officials and politicians need to have sound technical solutions from the scheme’s designers that will stand up to intense scrutiny.
7. Be innovative
The UK is still a relative newcomer when it comes to implementing an extensive cycling infrastructure. We can learn a lot from the likes of Denmark and The Netherlands, but at the same time, we have our own unique challenges and demands from citizens. Our historical use of roads and forms of transportation differs from other countries with established cycleways, so in addition to taking best practice advice from elsewhere, we will need to innovate. Finding ways to maximise the available space for all mobility users will require thinking ‘out of the box’ – and like a cyclist.
Craig Thomas is a freelance journalist specialising in the transportation and automotive industries.
Sign up for for the forthcoming webinar Transforming cities for cycling with powerful data insights, by See.Sense
Find out more about the CIHT’s planning for cycling guidelines
Get up to speed with the latest guidance on cycle infrastructure design
