The cycling success story of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz Mobility Survey analysis of the results conducted by TRANSyT, the Polytechnic University of Madrid s Transport Research Centre for the Centro de Estudios Ambientales (CEA) of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council The cycling success story of Vitoria-Gasteiz Doubling the cycling share in only three years to the Spanish record level of 12.3%

I congratulate the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz on their remarkable achievements in promoting cycling. Vitoria-Gasteiz shows that political commitment at the top, a dedicated administration and a participative approach can quickly and considerably increase the share of cyclists also in cities outside the established European cycling nations. MEP Michael Cramer Chair of the European Parliament s Transport and Tourism committee The cycling success story of Vitoria-Gasteiz Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the Basque Autonomous Community in northern Spain with 240,000 inhabitants and a compact city structure. Due to its strong commitment towards sustainable mobility Vitoria-Gasteiz was the first Spanish municipality to be awarded the title of European Green Capital in 2012. In 2008 the city adopted its Sustainable Mobility and Public Space Plan that was supplemented in 2010 with a Master Plan for Cyclist Mobility. In line with the Charter of Brussels, signed by Vitoria-Gasteiz the same year, the Master Plan for Cyclist Mobility made bicycle promotion an integral part of the city s transport policy and set the ambitious goal of 15% cycling mode share by 2020 while maintaining the city s high level of walking (54.4%). The recent mobility survey for now shows a strong increase in cycling while car traffic was reduced considerably from 28.4% down to 24.7% compared to. In fact, the mode share of cycling doubled in only three years from 6.8% to 12.3% which makes Vitoria-Gasteiz the city with the highest confirmed mode share of cycling in Spain. The commitment of Vitoria-Gasteiz to promote cycling is also reflected in its participation in the European Biking Cities project, coordinated by the German NGO for sustainable mobility Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) within the LIFE+ project Clean Air. European Biking Cities brings together six European cities with ambitious cycling policies in order to learn from each other and to inspire other cities with good practice examples. On this account we have translated the results of Vitoria-Gasteiz mobility survey and hope the city s success story will continue and encourage policy makers and transport officials elsewhere in Europe. Juan Carlos Escudero Centro de Estudios Ambientales (CEA) of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council, Director Heiko Balsmeyer Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) Coordinator, LIFE+ project Clean Air Arne Behrensen Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) Project Manager, European Biking Cities 2

The European Biking Cities project partners Table of contents Introduction 4 Sampling 4 Universe 5 General modal share 5 Share of active commutes 7 Modal share in Vitoria-Gasteiz compared to other cities 8 Detailed modal share 10 Distribution by motive 11 Modal share by motive 12 Availability of cars and bicycles 14 Commute duration 14 Cyclist mobility 15 Cyclist mobility Distribution by motive 15 Cyclist mobility Infrastructure use 16 Cyclist mobility Parking 17 Cyclist mobility Gender 17 Cyclist mobility Age 18 3

Introduction In, a mobility survey and preliminary assessment of the results was carried out which provided data about the modes of transport used by Vitoria-Gasteiz s residents. The survey was undertaken within the framework of the collaboration agreement between the Centro de Estudios Ambientales (CEA) of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council and the Polytechnic University of Madrid s Transport Research Centre (TRANSyT) as part of the TRANSBICI Project 1. The survey primarily focused on the main field covered by the collaboration agreement: cyclist mobility. Nevertheless, data on other means of transport were also obtained. This survey complements the surveys conducted in the city in and. Sampling Year Total population 228,187 240,580 242,924 Month(s) sampling was undertaken December April/May May/June/October Surveyed population 3,975 4,227 4,192 Approximately 4,000 individuals were interviewed for each of the, and surveys. This produces a global margin of error of 1.5% and means the data is sufficient to obtain valid statistical conclusions. However, the season in which the surveys were conducted should be taken into account, as this could significantly influence the means of transport used: in winter, for example, it is more likely that a survey will result in a lower representation of pedestrians and cyclists and higher levels of motorised transport. In, the majority of the data (91%) was gathered in the spring, but was complemented by further data collected in the autumn. 1 TRANSBICI was a multidisciplinary research project financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and coordinated by TRANSyT. By analysing travel behaviour in Madrid an Vitoria-Gasteiz from to, the project modelled the real and potential use of bicycles in urban areas. 4

Universe Year UNIVERSE Age (>10 yrs. old) (>6 yrs. old) (>10 yrs. old) Surveyed population 209,492 225,516 218,515 Commuters 157,330 213,278 211,217 Commuters (%) 75.10% 94.60% 96.70% Commutes 581,336 829,826 911,326 Commutes per commuter per day 3.7 3.9 4.3 Stages 582,084 833,229 1,076,421 Stages per commuter per day 3.7 3.9 5.1 Commutes within the city 478,355 722,244 838,585 Commutes within the city (%) 82.30% 87.00% 92.00% Whereas the survey gathered data on people of ten years-of-age and above, the and surveys also include data on children as young as six. This difference could influence the data, because children are more likely to be counted as pedestrians or as passengers in cars, which in turn would also reduce the percentage of cyclists. The total number of registered commutes increased alongside the growth in total population between and. However, whereas in 3.9 commutes per person per day were registered, this had risen to 4.3 commutes per person by. In addition, an increase in the percentage of the commuter population was registered (this population accounted for 96.70% of the people surveyed), demonstrating that practically the entire population commutes daily. General modal share Percentages GENERAL MODAL SHARE Pedestrian 49.60% Bicycle 3.30% Public transport 7.70% Car or motorbike 36.90% Others 2.60% Total 10 54.00% 54.40% 6.80% 12.30% 8.50% 7.60% 28.40% 24.70% 2.20% 1.10% 10 10 5

Trips GENERAL MODAL SHARE Pedestrian 288,141 447,911 495,427 Bicycle 19,051 56,400 111,851 Public transport 45,045 70,854 69,491 Car or motorbike 214,224 236,008 224,892 Others 14,875 18,653 9,665 The change in tendency observed in in terms of the use of cars and motorbikes was also confirmed by the survey: the percentage of cars and motorbikes on the roads has continued to decrease and this form of transport is now used for 24,7% of the total number of commutes made in the city. At its highest point, 37% of commutes were undertaken by car or motorbike. 6

In, this tendency changed, and the total number of commutes undertaken by car or motorbike started to drop. In May, 224,000 journeys were undertaken with this means of transport; 12,000 fewer than in. In addition, the number of pedestrians as part of the modal share has remained stable. This represents a reversal of the previous trend that had demonstrated a decline in the number of pedestrians. Approximately 54% of commutes are now carried out in this active and healthy manner. Moreover, 50,000 extra commutes are now undertaken by foot, which places travelling on foot ahead of all other means of commuting. Bicycle use has seen a significant increase compared to, and this confirms the tendency observed throughout the first decade of the 21st century. Furthermore, adoption of the bicycle as a means of transport has accelerated over the last 3 years. Public transport use has decreased slightly to 7,6%. The increase that occurred between and was due to the introduction of trams and the new bus network. The slight decrease in public transport use as a part of the modal share is due to the increase in the total number of journeys undertaken. In summary, the levels of pedestrians and people commuting with public transport continue to be important, and a transfer has occurred, with people who had previously travelled by car now using a bicycle. Share of active commutes Active commutes are those involving some form of physical exercise: walking, or riding a bicycle. Commutes Active modes 307,527 504,534 607,278 Other 274,391 324,462 304,048 7

The increase in the total number of commutes has been produced by the increase in active commutes. At the same time, the level of other types of commutes decreased between and. Modal share in Vitoria-Gasteiz compared to other cities 8

It is important to take into account the fact that city characteristics can be very different. For example, Bilbao is urban and dense, and journeys undertaken in peri-urban zones (such as Basauri, Barakaldo or Erandio) may not have been recorded. In general, the same can be said of numerous other Spanish cities in the chart above: many have peri-urban zones composed of small satellite cities, and this leads to higher levels of vehicle use. Furthermore, the size of European capitals urban areas and their populations need to be taken into account, as both are much larger than those found in Vitoria-Gasteiz. For example, the situation in London is similar to that of Bilbao: only commutes that take place in the municipal district are counted in surveys, not those undertaken in Greater London. With this in mind, the following sets out a comparative analysis of the situation in Vitoria-Gasteiz and these cities. As of, data obtained from the EPOMM 2 website demonstrate that Vitoria-Gasteiz is the Spanish city with the highest percentage of bicycle use. In addition, it is one of the cities with the lowest use of private cars and motorbikes, and the highest numbers of pedestrians. If we omit the size difference when comparing Vitoria-Gasteiz to the European capitals, Vitoria- Gasteiz is the city with the highest percentage of pedestrians. It is also one of the cities with the lowest levels of car use. The relatively low levels of public transport use in Vitoria-Gasteiz can be explained by the city s small size. As for the bicycle, the level of cycling in the city is now higher than in the majority of European capitals; however, it is still far from the levels seen in Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Of the 427 European cities that provide data on the EPOMM website, Vitoria-Gasteiz has the sixth highest percentage of pedestrians. Furthermore, it is ranked 20th in the list of cities with the lowest levels of car use. Regarding the use of the bicycle, the city is ranked 116th, which places it above 70% of European cities. 2 www.epomm.eu/tems/index.phtml 9

Detailed modal share Percentages DETAILED MODAL SHARE On foot Bicycle City bus (TUVISA) Tram Intercity bus Car driver Car passenger Motorbike Taxi Truck or van School or company bus or coach Train Group transport on request Other individuals Other groups 49.60% 3.30% 7.40% 0.30% 29.70% 6.30% 0.90% 0.20% 0.10% 1.90% 0.04% 0.30% 54.00% 6.80% 4.70% 3.50% 0.40% 23.30% 4.70% 0.50% 0.10% 0.10% 1.50% 0.50% 54.40% 12.30% 4.50% 2.80% 0.40% 20.20% 3.50% 0.90% 0.10% 0.10% 0.60% 0.01% 0.10% 0.20% Commutes DETAILED MODAL SHARE On foot Bicycle City bus (TUVISA) Tram Intercity bus Car driver Car passenger Motorbike Taxi Truck or van School or company bus or coach Train Group transport on request Other individuals Other groups 288,141 19,051 43,159 0 1,887 172,799 36,410 5,016 1,432 510 11,168 243 0 0 1,521 0.30% 447,911 56,400 38,727 28,929 3,198 192,972 38,711 4,325 868 1,062 12,739 0 0 0 3,984 495,427 111,851 40,739 25,374 3,378 184,355 32,003 8,534 847 815 5,422 137 753 1,574 117 10

The detailed modal share demonstrates that the decrease in the use of a car or motorbike was actually due to lower levels of car use, since motorbike use has increased. The decrease in public transport use was due to less people travelling by tram, as although the city bus lost in terms of percentage points it gained in terms of the total number of commutes. A decline also occurred in the use of school or company buses. Distribution by motive Year DISTRIBUTION BY MOTIVES Work Studies Other: - Shopping - Medical/hospital - Friend/family visit - Accompanying individuals/school drop off, etc. - Entertainment, lunch/dinner out - Personal errands - No specific destination, or an outing - 2 nd residence - Unknown/No response 26.30% 1 63.80% 19.00% 3.40% 6.40% 9.60% 12.50% 9.40% 0.30% 0.30% 2.90% 23.40% 13.10% 63.50% 13.80% 3.30% 4.60% 10.10% 18.70% 6.40% 4.20% 0.40% 2.00% 18.80% 7.40% 73.80% 17.70% 3.60% 5.80% 8.60% 16.70% 9.30% 11.60% 0.40% 11

The importance of commuting to work has significantly decreased over the last few years. One of the causes may be the decline in the numbers of people in employment (according to municipal statistics, 145,000 people were employed in, falling to 135,000 in ). In contrast, the percentage of people who commute no specific destination or who were travelling on an outing has increased, which is possibly due to the same reason. In, 106,000 journeys were undertaken for these motives. The numbers of students commuting increased in, but returned to previous levels in. Despite a decline in, commutes for shopping increased significantly in. Commutes for leisure ( entertainment, lunch/dinner out ) increased significantly in. In, they decreased slightly. The number of commutes undertaken for personal errands has also increased. Modal share by motive Percentages Pedestrians Bicycles Public Transport Car or motorbike Others Work Studies Other Work Studies Other Work Studies Other 29.00% 61.20% 56.20% 26.20% 58.10% 63.40% 25.70% 37.40% 63.40% 4.60% 6.90% 2.20% 10.50% 11.60% 4.50% 16.40% 34.20% 9.00% 6.40% 12.00% 7.60% 9.60% 8.20% 8.20% 7.30% 18.50% 6.60% 56.10% 12.70% 32.70% 50.40% 15.30% 23.10% 47.00% 9.20% 20.50% 3.90% 7.10% 1.30% 3.30% 6.90% 0.90% 3.70% 0.60% 0.40% 12

Commutes Pedestrians Bicycles Public Transport Car or motorbike Others Work Studies Other Work Studies Other Work Studies Other 44,313 35,468 208,359 50,906 63,019 333,986 44,095 25,168 426,163 7,016 4,029 8,006 20,322 12,561 23,516 28,142 23,023 60,686 9,788 6,952 28,305 18,675 8,876 43,304 12,529 12,419 44,543 85,602 7,380 121,241 97,872 16,606 121,529 80,659 6,195 138,038 5,980 4,145 4,750 6,469 7,457 4,728 6,331 426 2,909 In general, the distribution of commutes by motive and means of transport has remained constant over time. Nevertheless, some significant changes have emerged. Although bicycle use has increased overall, levels of bicycle use related to work or studies have always been above average. For example, 3.3% of journeys were undertaken by bicycle in, but bicycle use among people commuting to work was 4.60% and 6.90% among people travelling to school or university. In contrast, bicycle use for leisure, shopping, sport, etc. was 2.20%. Similarly, cycling as a means of transport accounted for 12.30% of all journeys in. During this time, the percentage of bicycle use among people commuting to work rose to 16.40% and its use among students rocketed to 34.20%. However, other uses were also recorded at 9.0%. It is also worth mentioning that in one third of commutes to educational centres was made by bicycle. In contrast, the main motive for travelling by foot continued to be unrelated to work or studies, although walking to work was less common than walking to school or university. The motives behind public transport use (other than for work or study) have remained constant. There has been a rise in the use of public transport to travel to school or university (18.50% of students currently travel by bus or tram), but the percentage of people using public transport to travel to work has decreased. Similarly, the use of a car or motorbike for motives other than travelling to work, school or university has remained constant, with levels always slightly lower than the general use of this means of transport. The use of a car or motorbike to commute to work has also remained around 20 percentage points above the general use of this means of transport throughout the 3 years of the study. Despite this, the general use of cars and motorbikes has declined and their use as a means of travelling to work has decreased respectively. In, there was an increase in the level of people travelling by car or motorbike to educational centres (15.30%), but this number dropped to 9.2% in. 13

Availability of cars and bicycles Car available Bicycle available 81.4% 53.9% 84.1% 64.4% 87.2% 69.8% More and more citizens have bicycles at home: in, two thirds of survey respondents stated that they had a bicycle. This data enables a rough estimate to be made of the number of bicycles in Vitoria-Gasteiz. It is important to take into account the fact that some people may own more than one bicycle whereas others represented in the survey may share a bicycle with family members. 69.8% of the universe of 242,924 individuals stated that they had a bicycle available to them; thus, there are more than 170,000 bicycles in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Commute duration (Commutes within the city) Up to 10 min From 11 to 20 min From 21 to 30 min From 31 to 45 min From 46 min to 1 hour More than 1 hour 30.60% 44.80% 17.30% 3.40% 1.30% 2.50% 36.00% 41.40% 13.40% 3.10% 2.10% 4.00% 38.60% 33.90% 15.50% 5.20% 3.30% 3.40% This demonstrates that the average duration of a commute is decreasing, and whereas 30% of commutes lasted for less than 10 minutes in, 40% did so in. Similarly, commutes lasting for between 11 and 20 minutes also reduced by the same proportion. 14

Cyclist mobility Individuals who commute by bicycle* Percentage of the commuting population Commutes Stages Commutes by bicycle with transfers (%) Commutes per commuter by bicycle per day Commutes leaving the city Commutes leaving the city (%) 6,290 4.00% 19,051 19,051 3.03 2,460 12.9% 19,153 9.00% 56,400 56,400 2.94 2,432 4.3% 39,427 18.70% 111,851 122,992 5.60% 2.83 6,616 5.9% * People who used a bicycle on the day before the survey. This does not refer to regular bicycle users. The total number of people who commuted by bicycle has continued to increase and has now reached 44,159 individuals. This means that 20% of the commuter population in Vitoria-Gasteiz commutes by bicycle. This figure, however, should not be confused with the modal share cited above, which was calculated based on the total number of journeys undertaken. Although the number of commutes leaving the city decreased between and, since, the level has significantly risen. Cyclist mobility Distribution by motive (Commutes within the city) Percentages Work Studies Other: - Shopping - Medical/hospital - Friend or family visit - Accompanying individuals/school drop off, etc. - Personal errands - Entertainment, lunch/dinner out - No specific destination, or an outing - Unknown/No response 35.50% 22.20% 42.30% 9.90% 1.70% 4.40% 3.70% 2.70% 19.80% 37.50% 22.00% 40.50% 8.10% 0.90% 3.80% 3.40% 6.70% 15.30% 1.90% 0.50% 25.80% 21.20% 53.00% 7.60% 1.30% 5.30% 3.10% 10.10% 18.80% 6.80% 15

Commutes Work Studies Other: - Shopping - Medical/hospital - Friend or family visit - Accompanying individuals/school drop off, etc. - Personal errands - Entertainment, lunch/dinner out - No specific destination, or an outing - Unknown/No response 6,768 4,223 8,061 1,887 332 837 714 513 3,778 21,148 12,405 22,848 4,581 509 2,163 1,911 3,754 8,628 1,047 254 28,880 23,668 59,299 8,516 1,444 5,918 3,488 11,291 21,012 7,630 Bicycle use to commute to work has considerably declined as part of the modal share (although the absolute number of commutes has increased), and it was no longer the primary motive behind bicycle use in. The percentage of bicycle use by students has slightly risen as a part of the modal share. However, in absolute terms usage has tripled. The levels of bicycle use to visit friends and family, to carry out personal errands, with no specific destination or for an outing have increased. The difference is particularly notable in the case of personal errands, which passed the 514 mark in and reached 11,291 in. Cyclist mobility Infrastructure use (Commutes within the city) On normal roads with cars On streets with reduced speed or marked bicycle lanes On red routes or cyclist paths On pavements On pedestrian zones 22.90% 33.40% 43.80% 21.50% 12.80% 39.60% 20.30% 5.90% The new traffic regulations approved in limited bicycle use on pavements and pedestrian zones. The data from shows that cyclists are adapting to the new situation: 43.80% of cyclists said they predominately used pavements or pedestrian zones in, whereas this percentage dropped by a third to 26.20% in. In comparison, and according to their statements, the numbers of cyclists travelling on roads alongside other vehicles has increased to 34.30%. In other words, more cyclists now use roads instead of pedestrian zones. 16

Moreover, the construction of further cycle paths has led to an overall increase in the percentage of people using such paths. Cyclist mobility Parking (Commutes within the city) Bicycle racks Street furniture Bicycle room, garage, or storage room Place of destination: street level Place of destination: another floor Unknown/No response 22.40% 15.90% 22.10% 33.80% 5.80% 32.90% 9.70% 23.50% 16.70% 17.20% As the availability of bicycle racks has increased, their use has also risen. As a result, the percentage of bicycles attached to street furniture has dropped. Cyclist mobility Gender Male Female 68.50% 31.50% 66.60% 33.40% 65.40% 34.60% Women are increasingly adopting bicycle use as a means of transport. 17

Cyclist mobility Age Percentages 6-19 20-29 30-49 50-64 >64 17.40% 40.30% 34.40% 5.00% 2.90% 17.20% 24.10% 44.50% 11.60% 2.70% 28.60% 20.20% 34.50% 12.30% 4.40% Individuals 6-19 20-29 30-49 50-64 >64 1,092 2,534 2,164 315 185 3,288 4,614 8,523 2,218 510 11,267 7,956 13,594 4,860 1,750 The increase in the numbers of cyclists is especially clear in the 6-19 age group, with a boom of 11,267 people (up from 1,092 in ). In contrast, the percentage of people in the 20-29 age group adopting bicycle use has been slower, leading its importance to decrease. This may be because cyclists from this age range were pioneers in adopting the bicycle, and now other age groups are more likely to use bicycles. Developments in the population pyramid have also been influential here, as this age range continues to decline to the benefit of younger ones. In the 30-49 age range, the largest increase in cyclists (compared to other age ranges) occurred between and, and this rise continued between and. 18

About this brochure: Editor: The original Spanish Análisis de la encuesta de movilidad City of Vitoria-Gasteiz was published on 28 January, 2015 by the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz Centro de Estudios Ambientales CEA as annex to the press release La encuesta de movilidad de Casa de la Dehesa de Olárizu, s/n confirma el menor uso del coche y mayor uso de la bicicleta en 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz Vitoria-Gasteiz. Spain This English translation was realized with support of the LIFE+ Phone: +34 945 16 26 96 project Clean Air an alliance of nine European NGOs coordinated Fax: +34 945 16 26 95 by the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD). The alliance is committed to improving the implementation of air quality policies by EU ceaadmin@vitoria-gasteiz.org member states. Vito ria-gasteiz is a project partner of the Clean Air www.vitoria-gasteiz.org/cea sub-project European Biking Cities. www.cleanair-europe.org Supported by