WALKING/BIKING-FRIENDLY CITY. NEED OF RESEARCH

Promoting walking/biking in cities is the most pro-environmental transport and an excellent way to keep healthy, to take part in city life, and to meet people. However, the increasing motor traffic in cities negatively affects the safety and environment of pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrians make up 15-20 percent of the deaths in road accidents in industrialised countries; this is 40-50 percent in developing countries. Other problems are related to lack of continuous and comfortable walkways and bikeways, obstacles, slippery and uneven pavement, waiting for passage, exhausts, lack of weather protection etc. Urban and traffic planning must be directed towards preserving and providing more space for foot traffic, and proximity of work places and services. Public spaces must be made more car-free and livable. One important measure will be to establish and control low speed on streets where pedestrians/cyclists are present. The introduction of 30 km/h streets and streets where priority is given for pedestrians/cyclists are examples of steps to save these vulnerable group of road users. Multidisciplinary research is needed to refine and increase the knowledge of the behaviour of all road users, and to find methods promoting walking/biking as a way to enjoy city life and maintain health. (This paper was presented at the Conference Vulnrabilis, Lyon, Jan 1997).