BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT NO. 129

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1 BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT NO. 129 June 2001 Søren Underlien Jensen et al. Collection of Cycle Concepts Cycling to replace car trips in Denmark and become safer - Collection of examples with numerous planning tips Key Facts Contents This manual, produced as part of the Danish national cycling strategy, contains a comprehensive and authoritative collection of examples, data, recommendations, ideas and some 400 photographs relating to the promotion of cycling. In addition to giving tips on the planning, design and implementation of cycle-friendly infrastructure, it explores effective ways of reducing car traffic and the contribution that campaigns can make to promoting cycling and making it safer. Collection of Cycle Concepts is a very attractive manual on the promotion of cycling published by the Danish Road Directorate as part of the national cycling strategy, which aims to promote cycling and make it safer. On average Danes cycled 1.5 km and made 0.6 bicycle trips per day in 1998 (equivalent to some 550 km/year). In % of all trips were by bicycle, but this fell to 19% in The most popular destinations are work, school and sport. Fifteen-year-olds cycle the furthest (5.5 km/day) and yearolds cycle the fastest (16-18 km/h), while some children and elderly cyclists average just 6-8 km/h (see Annex - Figure 1). The Danish Government s 1993 action plan Trafik 2005 calls for a 30% increase in bicycle traffic - which corresponds to every Dane cycling an additional 200 kilometres a year - and for 4% of private car passenger kilometres to be transferred to Walking and cycling by Local strategies require the setting of priorities, a solid financial footing, and the sound definition of responsibilities. Effective instruments for promoting cycling include restrictions on car use, information campaigns and events, traffic calming, and the development of skills for planners and politicians. The financial planning must reckon on costs of Euro 134 /m for cycle paths and Euro to Euro to convert a junction into a mini-roundabout (see Annex - Table 1).

2 In addition to numerous photographs and illustrations, and basic data on cycling and cyclists, the manual also documents examples of successful campaigns, and has an extensive bibliography. The illustrated examples show projects in Naestved, Karlebo, Aalborg, Praestø, Herning, Odense, Randers and Svendborg. As the distances travelled in towns have a decisive impact on cycle usage, the main task facing town planners is to intensify land-use and fight urban sprawl. Good network planning is important. Cycle routes must be continuous and direct, and cycle paths must be sufficiently wide. For example, shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians must be 3 m wide, two-way cycle paths without pedestrians must be 2.50 m wide - see Annex - Table 2. Junctions must be properly designed and surfaces must be even. Uniform signage, high-quality maps and bicycle parking are also required. As cyclists are particularly sensitive to uneven road surfaces, defective stretches should be fully resurfaced and not just patched. Where cycle tracks are blocked by road works a passable temporary cycleway must be established either on the carriageway or on the footway. According to the Danish philosophy on the provision of infrastructure for cyclists (Annex - Figure 2), cycle lanes separated from the carriageway by green stripes can be marked on roads with traffic speeds of 60 km/h or more, and paved Shoulders can also be used where there are low traffic volumes (up to cars/day). On roads with traffic speeds of 50 km/h or less, mixed traffic, cycle lanes or segregated cycle tracks (separated from the carriageway by a verge) are recommended, depending on traffic volumes. Report Author Collection of Cycle Concepts is available free of charge in English only from the bookshop of the Danish Road Directorate and can be ordered by sending an to boghandel@vd.dk or a fax to: It can also be downloaded from the Website at (click on English ). Søren Underlien Jensen, Project Manager, Danish Road Directorate, Niels Juels Gade 13, 1020 Copenhagen K, Denmark, suj@vd.dk Bicycle Research Report No. 129, June

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5 Bicycle Research Report No. 129, June