Cycling in the Netherlands The City and the region Utrecht 8-5-2006 1
The ultimate European lesson? I think we need to make people aware that our traffic concepts of today are not sustainable and will be of no use for the future of our society and our planet. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster (Former Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany) 2
Contents The Netherlands and The City of Utrecht An integrated sustainable approach Why we better go cycling Improving bicycle facilities Integrating the bicycle Cycling and road safety The Utrecht Road Safety Label (UVL) 3
The Netherlands (as it was) Water management. Architecture. Transport. Orange. 4
The Netherlands (as it is) Water management. Architecture. Transport. Orange. 5
Some demographic facts Sweden Malmö Netherlands Utrecht Founded 1000 1100 1579 50 AD Inhabitants (city/region) 9.6 mln 300.000/ 680.000 16.7 mln 330.000/ 640.000 Area sq/km 450.000 335 16.034 100 Famous for Volvo s Ibrahimovic Bikes Van Basten 8-5-2006 6
Bicycle ownership 8-5-2006 7
8-5-2006 8
Facts bicycle share 9
Modal split according to distances NL O 10
The City of Utrecht Facts Fourth largest city, in the heart of the Netherlands. Over 300,000 inhabitants. Medieval inner city with rich history Important meeting place Creative city, knowledge and culture Biggest new city development in the country Largest University in the Netherlands. Busiest railway station of the country (more passengers a year then Schiphol Airport). According to EU most competitive region in Europe. Modal split Motor vehicles: 38.5 % Public transport: 10.8 % Bicycles: 28.0 % Pedestrians: 21.2 % Others: 01.5 % But also: Absorption capacity in car mobility reached 11
Growing and vivid region Consequences in mobility Absorption capacity in car mobility reached The demand for mobility might be unlimited, the space is not. Air quality limits reached on many spots. Also noise is a problem. Moving traffic from one spot to another = moving problems PLUS extra emission on a city level, meaning more CO2. 12
Challenge: new approach for sustainable urban mobility Policy document: Utrecht Attractive and Accessible Quality of space is leading The place decides the mobility choice Bicycle as primary transport mode in the city (Regional) tram as basis for PT-system Focus on the user Action plans for bike, cargo, electric cars, air quality, mobility management 13
Focus on quality = reaching many goals Social and Healhy Sustainable and Liveable Accessibility and Economy Utrecht Attractive And Accessible Quality of Public Spaces Financially Sound 14
Focus on Cycling in the City of Utrecht Facts 36% of all trips < 7.5 km are done by bicycle. 91,000 cyclists pass the inner city on working days. 22,000 bicycle stands around the main railway station and in city centre. 8 secured bicycle parking s around the main railway station. 15
Bicycle as primary transport mode in town 16
Inspiration from the region: Houten number one in biking 8-5-2006 17
WHY WE BETTER GO CYCLING 18
Reason 1: Traffic congestion 122,000 Imbalance between incoming & outgoing traffic. 61,700 Numbers show incoming traffic during morning rush hours. 58,500 19
Reason 2: Air and noise pollution 20
Reason 3: Obesity and public health 21
So let s cycle 22
So let s transport 23
So let s feel young 24
Improving bicycle facilities 25
Bicycle Program Making an extra investment of over 100 mln. by: A.Upgrading five busiest routes. B.Building missing links. C.Creating more & better parking. D.Introducing public bicycle program. E.Increasing promotion of the bicycle. 26
A. Upgrading five busiest routes 27
B. Building missing links New tunnel in a regional bicycle route. 28
C. Creating more & better parking 29
D. Introducing public bicycle program (OV Fiets) Facts A public bicycle system for transport hubs like railway stations, light rail stops, bus terminals, Park & Ride, etc. Over 200 rental locations. Over 60 self-service bicycle dispensers. More than 850,000 trips in 2010. 30
E. Promotion of the bicycle en First stage of Giro d Italia 2010. 31
Integrating the bicycle 32
Utrecht Centraal: Busiest railway station in the country Facts Major transport hub in The Netherlands. 160,000 daily train and 100,000 bus & light rail passengers on weekdays. 9 guarded bicycle parking's (total capacity 10.000 bicycles). Over 7.000 unguarded bicycle parking places. Building the biggest parking in the world 33
Bicycle parking at Utrecht Centraal Guarded parking (paid). Guarded parking (paid). Guarded parking (non-paid). Street parking. 34
Bicycle parking at other stops of public transport Commuter rail (Houten). Light rail. PT- bike at different places. Regional bus. 35
Bicycle parking at other locations Offices. Schools. Shops. Theatres. 36
Other aspects of integration National website OV9292. The OV chip card. Taking bicycles into trains. Building regional bike network 37
CYCLING AND ROAD SAFETY My personal believe: There is a DIRECT relation between the increase in numbers of cyclists and road safety. But we have to invest in it every day; at schools and for older people 38
Cycling is safe isn t it? 39
The Utrecht Road Safety Label (UVL) What is the Utrecht Road Safety Label? It is a quality mark for primary schools (4-11 years old) that structurally put effort into the road safety around the school and into traffic education. In exchange the school gets money and support for traffic lessons and small infrastructure improvements in the direct surrounding of the school. Target: 80% of the primary schools working to receive the label in 2011. A combination of three actions 1) Create safe and recognizable school zones and routes. 2) Influence on traffic behavior of the parents. 3) Traffic education for the pupils. 40
Create safe and recognizable school zones 41
Also create safe routes to and from the schools 42
Influencing the behaviour of parents What to do Taking anti-parking measures near the schools. Only create parking space for cars further away from the school. Inform parents by news letters and special information sessions. Submit questionnaires to parents and children. 43
3. Traffic education for the children 44
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht 45
On a typical RAINY day in The Netherlands So I waited for two days and start over again... 46
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Rural road between Houten and Utrecht 47
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Bicycle path between Houten and Utrecht 48
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Across a bicycle bridge entering the city 49
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Entering a housing area through a park zone 50
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Residential street on backside of houses 51
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Crossing a through road 52
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Bicycle path as a short cut between two roads 53
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Entering a residential street 54
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Another short cut (passing a school zone) 55
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Approaching a woon erf 56
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Third short cut within half a mile 57
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Bicycle route using a dead end parking lot 58
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Using a standard residential street 59
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Level free crossing under a through road 60
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Direct bicycle link into the downtown area 61
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Bicycle street with mixed traffic 62
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Bicycle path instead of planned trunk road 63
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht One way street is bi-directional for bicycles 64
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Trunk road with bicycle facilities 65
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht Approaching the down town area 66
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht One way residential shopping street 67
Cycling an average bicycle route in Utrecht The down town area = destination achieved 68
Thank you for your attention! Frits Lintmeijer, for The City of Utrecht and the Utrecht Region (NL), 2014/06/03 69