CONCEPTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ROAD SAFETY FOR CYCLISTS IN BUILT-UP AREAS

Cycling is getting more popular in the last years, not only as a leisure-time activity but also in the traffic of everyday life. One reason for this development is the growing traffic problems in towns. The increase of cycle traffic doesn't run without conflicts; nearly 3,000 killed cyclists on roads in the European Union are a tragic proof. In many towns the infrastructure is bad, so the cyclists have to drive on the carriageway in common with the faster and better protected traffic of motor vehicles. But there are not only problems between cyclists and motor vehicles. Conflicts occur also with pedestrians when cyclists flee to the footway. In this case the pedestrians are the more vulnerable road user. In this context the paper will: give an overview about the traffic safety of cyclists in Europe; illustrate typical conflicts between cyclists and other road users; and present the planning instruments of the new German guidelines.