BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT NO. 89

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1 BICYCLE RESEARCH REPORT NO. 89 November 1997 CYCLE TRAFFIC: THE BICYCLE IS GAINING GROUND IN TRAFFIC OVER SHORT DISTANCES But: reduction in the amount of cycle traffic because of increased distances and introduction of student tickets The Key Facts Content More and more cycles are being ridden over short distances in the Netherlands, but as the journeys are getting longer and longer the amount of cycle traffic on the roads is also dropping. This continuing drop has been the result of the introduction of free public transport tickets for students. Cycle use in the Netherlands between and in 1995 for distances under five kilometres has gone up. However, in as much as 63% of the journeys covered were shorter than five kilometres and in 1995 they were only as much as 58%. The inhabitants of Zwolle have the highest proportion of cycle traffic to all destinations (39.5%) whilst those in Kerkrade have the lowest (10.3%). The differences between the different authorities are too great to attribute them to single factors such as geographical situation, proximity to towns and villages, composition of population or economic peculiarities. Political will also seems to be important. In the large cities especially, the proportion of cycle traffic has greatly increased for distances up to five kilometres, e.g. from 23.2% to 36.8% in Amsterdam. The most frequent reason for riding a bicycle is for shopping purposes. Using a bicycle to go to school continues to go down because the routes to school are getting longer and longer. The greater the traffic density and the danger that goes with it has also contributed to the reduction in the number of people learning to ride a bicycle between and in 1995 from 62% to 52%. For journeys to work the bicycle has been able to hold its own. Table 5 shows how the number of cycles on all journeys has increased, except for journeys over 15 km long. The fact that this increase is not expressed in Table 4 can be explained very simply: journeys to work have definitely been getting longer over the last few years. In % of all journeys to

2 work were 15 km or longer, in 1995 it was 31%. Since the introduction of student tickets on public transport on 1st January, 1991 students clearly cycle less. They form a large part of the population and therefore the introduction of the tickets has clearly influenced the number of cycle journeys made in the Netherlands. Between November 1990 and November 1992 public transport as the chief means of transport won not less than 22 points in the Students Modal-Split (see table 6). The town bus made the greatest profit. The increase in the use of public transport was matched by the costs for bicycle use. The number of car passengers sank by about nine points. After the revision of the regulations in 1994 when most students had decided to get a workday ticket for use on public transport, the bicycle gained some ground. The effect that the ticket has had since its introduction prior to using public transport and after can clearly be observed. Before travelling by train the proportion of bicycles between November 1990 and November 1992 went down from 56% to 36%. The number of bus, tram and metro passengers went up from 19% to 42%. After the journey the students changed both from walking and also cycling to public transport. Walking fell from 51% to 38%, cycling from 19% to 5%. The number of bus, tram and metro passengers rose from 27% to 55%. About Dutchmen are in possession of a student s public transport ticket. That is about 5% of all Dutchmen over the age of twelve. The introduction of the ticket has meant that students cycle about 360 million kilometres less per year. In 1990 they had done 1030 million kilometres but in 1995 only 670 million. This reduction becomes noticeable too in the entire proportion of cycle kilometres in the Netherlands and has slowed down the desired increase in bicycle use. In 1986 Dutchmen cycled 11.9 thousand million kilometres (= 100), in thousand millions (== 111). If the student s public transport ticket had not been introduced, then the index of journeys cycled in 1995 would have gone up by 114. Article Address Fiets wint terrein op korte afstand [The bicycle is gaining ground in traffic over short distances] - (in Dutch), in: Fietsverkeer, Hg. Projectgroep Masterplan Fiets, Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, Directoraat-Generaal voor hot Vervoer, Directie Individueel Personenverkeer, Nr 13 of February 1997 Fietsverkeer, Secretariat masterplan Fiets, Postbus 20903, NL-2500 EX The Hague. Telephone: Bicycle Research Report No. 89, November

3 Bicycle Research Report No. 89, November

4 Bicycle Research Report No. 89, November

5 Continuation Table 1: Bicycle Research Report No. 89, November

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The benefits of cycling. Enfield conference 8 april 2016 The benefits of cycling Enfield conference 8 april 2016 Frans Botma City of the Hague Department of Urban Development/Traffic Key Figures Population & jobs 2011: 0,5 million (city) - 1 million (agglomeration)