Co-benefits of cycling-inclusive : planning and promotion

This study reviews and discusses how the promotion of cycling as an affordable and clean means of transport, is related to the promotion of road safety. It presents a critical review of current practices, and gives recommendations for bringing transport policies more in line with the aim of encouraging use of bicycles for everyday transport. It evaluates quality requirements for road infrastructure that take the specific characteristics of cyclists into account. Integration of these policies requires that road design is brought in line with the function of a road, and (intended and actual) road user behaviour. Commonly used indicators for road safety will be reviewed to assess the impact of policies and measures. Impact assessments of transport policies tend to rely on indicators for travel time and travel speed by vehicles, and do not take qualitative aspects of transport involving social factors, such as affordability, equity, and social inclusion, into account. Currently, impact assessment on the environment and climate is mainly linked to emissions per vehicle, and not to personal mobility needs. The study concludes that a conceptual approach of defining mobility and accessibility, and an appropriate definition of indicators, cannot be isolated from each other.