Promotion of Transport Walking and Cycling in Europe

Promotion of Transport Walkingand Cycling in Europe

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The European Network for the Promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity

Promotion of Transport Walking

and Cycling in Europe:

Strategy Directions

The HEPA Network is financially supported by the European Commission

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Postal Address: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research

P.O. Box 30

FIN-33501 Tampere, Finland

Tel: 358 3 282 9111

Fax: 358 3 282 9200

E-mail: losapi@uta.fi

Notice to readers:

The Views contained in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect

the opinion or position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor

any person acting on its behalf is liable for any use made of the following information.

This report was produced with financial support from the European Commission.

ISSBN 951-9101-34-9

This document may be freely reviewed. Abstracted, reproduced and translated, in part or in

whole, provided that its content is not modified in any way, that no change is made for the

content in any form and that due acknowledgement is given to the source.

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PROMOTION OF TRANSPORT

WALKING AND CYCLING IN EUROPE:

Strategy Directions

Written by Pekka Oja, PhD and Ilkka Vuori MD

The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Finland

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Acknowledgements

This work is part of the activities of the European Network for the Promotion

of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity. The Network is financially supported

by the European Commission. The draft text was approved by the network

meeting held in Tampere, on 12-14 November 1999.

We are grateful to the following people who made personal

contributions to the development of this document:

Nick Cavill and Hugo Crombie

Health Education Authority, England

Peter Wolfhagen and Mariken Leurs

Netherlands Olympic Committee*Netherlands

Sports Confederation,

The Netherlands

Lauri Virrankoski

Traffic League, Finland

Matti Järvi

City of Tampere, Finland

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CONTENTS

Executive summary ....................................................................... 4

Foreword ...................................................................................... 7

1. CONTEXT .............................................................................. 8

2. ISSUES INVOLVED............................................................. 10

3. IDENTIFYING STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ...................... 12

4. DEFINING TARGETS ......................................................... 14

5. ESTABLISHING CONSENSUS .......................................... 16

6. TAKING ACTION................................................................ 17

7. OBTAINING FUNDING .................................................... 21

8. ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING........................................... 22

9. MONITORING AND EVALUATION ................................ 22

References ................................................................................... 23

APPENDIX 1............................................................................. 24

APPENDIX 2............................................................................. 27

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Executive summary

This document is a follow-up of the

European Charter on Transport, Environ-

ment and Health put forward by WHO

Europe and the European Commission in

1999. The Charter states, based on

scientific evidence, that physically active

forms of transport, such as walking and

cycling, offer significant health gains

through the reduction of the ill effects of

motorised transport and the utilisation of

the health benefits of increased physical

activity, and that strategies to design and

engineer a modal shift from motorised to

physically active transport should be

effectively pursued.

The European Network for the Promo-

tion of Health-Enhancing Physical

Activity, as one of the European Com-

mission´s Health Promotion Networks,

has taken the task of furthering the

Charter´s principles into strategic

directions for the promotion of physically

active transport. Thus the purpose of this

document is to identify strategic direc-

tions that the member states can use in

defining their own strategies and actions

for the national promotion of transport

walking and cycling.

The nature of transport walking and

cycling in terms of frequency, duration

and intensity suggests that, in principle,

such activity can contribute significantly

to people´s health-enhancing physical

activity. On the other hand, the current

practices of such activities are sufficient

for health gains in only a few EU

countries, and very minimal in most, and

in particular in the southern Member

States. Furthermore, the trends in

physically active transport indicate a

rather dramatic decline over the past few

decades.

Knowledge of the health potential of

active transport, factors influencing the

choice of the transport mode and attitudes

among many European populations, as

well as increasing experiences of local,

regional and even some national

promotional efforts, suggest that

physically active transport can be

substantially increased by appropriate

policies, strategies and actions. Therefore,

the development of target-oriented

national strategies is justified.

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A major issue affecting such development

is the overwhelming and increasing role of

car culture in the transport scene. The car

is the first choice of transport for many

people and for many reasons. This culture

sets many obstacles for the promotion of

walking and cycling. Their social status is

low as compared to driving a car, and the

physical environment is often non-

conducive, if not hostile, for walking and

cycling. These obstacles need to be

overcome in order to make real progress

towards more active transport.

One key strategic objective in the promo-

tion of physically active transport is to

make walking and cycling contribute

towards sustainable transport. Together

with public transport it constitutes an

essential element for energy-efficient, low

resource-consuming means of transport. It

also contributes to the reduction of

congestion and pollution, the enhance-

ment of the local environment, the

improvement of quality of life, increased

accessibility, injury prevention and social

equity. Urban design, land use planning

and traffic planning are critical in ensuring

an environment conducive to sustainable

transport.

Another fundamental strategic objective is

to achieve a modal shift from car driving

to walking and cycling. A substantial shift

requires reduction in car dependence and

acceptance of user-pays-the-cost policy. A

reduction in the need to travel by car can

be effectively achieved by proper urban

design and land use planning for short and

accessible connections to trip generator

locations, and by comprehensive public

transport with effective linkage to walking

and cycling.

Effective strategy includes well-defined

targets. It is advisable to set them in

quantitative, measurable terms that

correspond to political will and available

conditions. Headline targets can include

defined increases in the proportion of

walking and cycling trips of all journeys

within a given time period. Supplemen-

tary targets may include quantitative

increases in walking and cycling according

to journey distances, journey purposes,

infrastructure, facilities and promotion.

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Comprehensive strategic planning and

implementation requires active collabo-

ration and partnership between several

parties and their consensus on key issues

and roles. The main actors are the health,

education, sports, transport and land use

authorities. Other important collaborators

include the traffic safety authorities,

transport operators, the health care

industry, the cycle industry as well as

various voluntary and consumer organis-

ations promoting exercise, sports,

recreational activities and sustainable

transport.

Creating a pro-walking and cycling culture

is one of two main action areas for

implementing the defined strategies and

objectives. To obtain a significant level of

growth in walking and cycling requires an

acceptance of walking and cycling as

desirable transport modes among the

public, professionals and the transport

providers. Well-planned communication

programmes with clearly identified

messages, target groups and delivery

channels, incentives and regulatory and

legal measures are important means in

establishing such a culture.

Promoting walking and cycling without

the provision of proper environment,

conditions and facilities may turn futile.

Effective interventions include land use

and transport planning, traffic calming and

speed reduction, highway design and

transport engineering with foot and cycle

paths and networks, linkage of public

transport with walking and cycling, cycle

parking, traffic signals and signs, road

lighting and other conditions and vehicle

design. A comprehensive walking and

cycling audit ensures the consideration of

the needs of pedestrians and cyclists in all

relevant development schemes.

In order to develop and maintain pro-

walking and cycling infrastructure,

considerable funding from national and

local transport authorities is required.

A fixed proportion of their total annual

budget for the infrastructure would ensure

the realisation of the set strategies and

targets. Further funding can be obtained

from other collaborators through mutual

ownership of the strategic plan.

Persistent advocacy and lobbying by the

principal acting parties will ensure the

necessary collaboration, partnership and

ownership for effective networking.

Political sensitivity, understanding of

media power, broad cultural penetration

and evidence support are important

elements in this work.

It is imperative to integrate monitoring

and evaluation in the walking and cycling

strategy. They provide the necessary

evidence to assess the efficacy, cost-

effectiveness and feasibility of the adopted

strategies and actions.

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Foreword

Our health is a product of many

factors. Some we can influence,

like our behaviour, and some we

cannot, like our genetic make-up. The

environment is a major determinant of

health. It belongs, at least partly, to those

factors that are influenced by us.

Unfortunately, the way we have allowed

our environment to develop is not always

positive for our health. All Europeans, and

especially the urban dwellers, experience

this every day: air pollution, noise,

congestion, accidents – mostly produced

by the traffic.

We can make a change. Instead of driving

a car, we can walk or ride a bike. If

enough of us break the old habit, the air

will get cleaner, noise and congestion will

diminish, and fewer accidents will happen,

not immediately, but inevitably in the

long run. And using our own engine by

walking and cycling enhances our health.

It is health promotion at its best.

In many European cities, fine practical

measures have demonstrated that this can

be done with simple, inexpensive and

friendly measures. Moreover, some far-

sighted countries are already implementing

this health potential in their national

health policies. This example of good

practice should be widely disseminated

and put into practice Europe-wide. There

is assistance available for taking the first

step in this direction. The European

Network for the Promotion of Health-

Enhancing Physical Activity, one of the

European Commissions seven health

promotion networks, has taken the

promotion of transport walking and

cycling as one of its top priorities. As a

result of this work, the present guidebook

in your hand provides strategic directions

for the European countries to develop

country-wide strategies to promote public

health by increasing transport walking and

cycling. The guidelines build on the

encouraging and increasing local, regional

and national experiences gained in several

countries. They are intended to stimulate

national action in the right direction,

rather than suggesting ready-made recipes.

I hope that this initiative will find fertile

ground to take forward the development

in this important field – important for

health and important for the environment

– in whole Europe. It would certainly be

fully in line with the health promotion

strategies of the European Commission.

Matti Rajala

Head of Unit

Health Promotion, Health Monitoring

and Injury Prevention

European Commission

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1. CONTEXT

The CHARTER ON TRANS-

PORT, ENVIRONMENT AND

HEALTH (WHO Europe 1999),

approved by the Ministers and representa-

tives of the European Member States of

WHO and members of the European

Commission (EU) responsible for

transport, environment and health in

London, 16-18 June 1999, prioritises the

following health-related issues linked with

transport:

Links between

transport and health

• traffic accidents are a major cause of

death and serious injury;

• road transport is a major contributor

to human exposure to air pollution

with a link to respiratory and

cardiovascular diseases;

• people are exposed to increasing levels

of traffic noise (e.g. loss of sleep);

• physically active forms of transport

offer significant positive health effects;

• heavy road traffic can divide

communities and reduce social

support;

• vulnerable groups are affected more by

traffic – particularly people with

disabilities, older people, the socially

excluded, children and young people,

people living/working in areas of high

air pollution and noise.

The Charter identifies the key principles

by which transport and health can be

unified, broad objectives for integrated

policies and an action plan for member

states. It is a commitment by the member

states to make transport sustainable to

health and the environment. One of the

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key elements in the proposed action plan

is to promote modes of transport, such as

public transport and cycling and walking,

and land use planning, which have the best

public health impacts.

Need to increase

physically active transport

The Charter states: “Forms of transport

that entail physical activity, like cycling

and walking, separately or in conjunction

with public transport, offer significant

health gains; however, these transport

modes have often been overlooked in

planning and decision-making”.

This statement is based on scientific

evidence indicating that public and non-

motorised forms of transport offer oppor-

tunities for regular physical activity to be

integrated into daily life at minimal cost

for a large segment of the population.

Modal shifts to physically active transport

are likely to bring major benefits to public

health, the environment and quality of life

and are likely to decrease congestion.

Strategies designed to engineer such a shift

should be energetically pursued, especially

in urban and suburban areas, and their

effects monitored and evaluated. (Dora C

& Phillips M 1999).

Purpose of the

strategy directions

The European Network for the Promotion

of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity is

one of the European Commission’s Health

Promotion Networks. It aims, among

other things, at promoting and facilitating

the development of national health-

enhancing physical activity (HEPA)

policies in the EU Member States. As part

of this task, the HEPA Network has

participated in providing the evidence on

the health significance of walking and

cycling (Vuori I & Oja P 1999) for the

CHARTER ON TRANSPORT,

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH.

This document sets out strategy direc-

tions, based on the CHARTER, that can

be used for promoting physically active

transport. The purpose of these directions

is to identify strategic objectives and

actions the member states can use when

designing national strategies and actions

for the promotion of health-enhancing

walking and cycling as part of their overall

HEPA policies.

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2. ISSUES INVOLVED

2.1. Health potential of

transport walking and

cycling

Accumulating and reliable scientific

evidence shows that the highly

prevalent and increasing

sedentariness causes a great and increasing

burden on the health of populations and

that physical activity has significant

health-enhancing effects (US Department

of Health and Human Services 1996). The

available evidence indicates that a

substantial, if not major, part of the health

benefits can be attained by many common

activities, such as walking and cycling,

that take place frequently and are

moderate in terms of the required effort

and time. A few available studies support

the idea that walking and especially cycling

as practised as a means of transport can

result in functional and health benefits

among sedentary populations.

The current transport patterns in EU

countries (WALCYNG 1998) show that

car use is by far the dominant transport

mode accounting for 50 to 70% of all

road trips. The majority of short trips of

up to 5 km are also made by car. Two to

four trips out of ten are made by bicycle

or on foot. Car use has steadily increased

during the past decades at the expense of

other transport modes, including walking

and cycling. Some data suggest that active

transport has halved during the last 20

years.

Current surveys in EU countires

(WALCYNG 1998) indicate that the

average distance of walking trips is about

2 km and that for cycling 3-4 km. The

number of weekly walking trips averages

from about three to almost six. Cycling

trips are frequent in countries with a rich

bicycle culture, such as the Netherlands

(on average one daily trip) and Denmark

(every other day), but much less in all

other EU countries. These data suggest

that while the current walking and cycling

patterns fall mostly short of the criteria for

HEPA, increasing practice of short trips

by walking and cycling could contribute

substantially to health-enhancing daily

activity.

Knowledge of the distribution of the

length of the journeys, factors influencing

the choice of the mode of transport, and

attitudes among the population suggest

that physically active transport can be

substantially increased by appropriate

policies, strategies and measures. The

validity of this rationale has been clearly

demonstrated by several projects and

programmes aiming at increasing

physically active transport (see box p. 11).

Simultaneously, the number of traffic

accidents involving vulnerable road users

has decreased. If similar development took

place on a larger scale, the direct and

indirect benefits to individual, community

and population health and well-being are

likely to be substantial.

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2.2. Car culture

Car culture is increasingly taking over the

transport scene. The car is the first choice

of transport for many people for many

reasons. In this prevailing culture there are

many obstacles, real and perceived, for

walking and cycling.

There is a lack of safe, convenient and

pleasant places to walk and cycle because

the needs of motor traffic dominate land

use, transport infrastructure and traffic

regulations. Integration of walking and

cycling with public transport is poorly

developed. The danger of accidents to

walkers and cyclists from motorised road

users is a real one. Facilities supporting

cycle use such as quality parking and

transport of cycles in public transport

vehicles are also insufficient.

The social status of walking and cycling is

low in comparison to driving a car.

Perceived long distances, bad weather, hilly

roads, hard work, theft and violence

prevent many from walking and cycling

even if the travel distances were suitable

and routes were available for walking and

cycling.

Successful schemes to increase cycle use in European Cities

(Cyclists’ Touring Club 1995)

City

Population

% of

Increase

Main traffic

journeys

in cycle

measures

by cycle

use

(city centre)

(over time)

Basel

172 000

8 -16 %

- tram priority

(1970-90)

- traffic restraint

- cycle network (city-wide)

Graz

240 000

7 - 14 %

- pedestrian measures

(1979-91)

- parking reduction

- traffic calming

- cycle parking & cycling

Hannover 550 000

9 - 16 %

- land use

- traffic calming

- cycle routes (450 km)

- car parking control

Münster

280 000

29 - 43 %

-quality cycle routes

(1981-92)

- links to public transport

- traffic calming

Delft

80 000

40 - 43%

- compact land use

(1982 - 85)

- traffic cells

- complete cycle network

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3. IDENTIFYING

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

3.1. Walking and cycling

contribute to sustainable

transport

Walking and cycling must be

seen as part of sustainable

transport strategy. Along with

public transport they constitute an

essential element for energy-efficient, low

resource-consuming means of transport.

Walking and cycling can contribute to a

wide range of sustainability benefits,

including reduction of congestion and

pollution, enhancement of the local

environment, the improvement of quality

of life, increased access opportunities and

injury prevention. They can also be a more

equitable mode of transport by being

more affordable to a larger cross-section of

society.

Urban design and land use and traffic

planning are key elements in ensuring that

journeys are possible on foot and by

bicycle. Urban design has a critical role in

providing an environment in which

healthy transport choices are possible.

Design measures can also reduce traffic

speeds to encourage walking and cycling.

Land use planning can reduce the need to

travel in general, and by car in particular.

Good traffic planning can make these

modes desirable by providing convenient

and safe access to schools, jobs, facilities,

services, hobbies, entertainment, etc.

3.2. Modal shift from car

to walking and cycling

The key prerequisite for sustainable travel

patterns is the creation of an environment

in which walking and cycling are made

more attractive than using private motor

vehicles. This modal shift from using an

external engine to one’s own engine for

travel provides benefits for the individual,

for communities and for businesses.

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To secure the benefits of a significant

increase in walking and cycling, changes

are required which reflect the full cost of,

and reduce dependence on, the car. This

can be done by:

• ensuring that the full external costs of

the car, including the use of it, are paid

by the user;

• using urban design and land use

planning effectively to reduce the need

to travel by car and to shorten the

lengths of the trips;

• giving high priority to local

accessibility in location decisions for

jobs, shopping, education, health,

leisure and other public and private

facilities;

• having comprehensive, co-ordinated,

safe and reliable public transport;

• ensuring that transport planners and

public transport operators enable

walking and especially cycling to be

combined with the use of public

transport by providing cycle parking

facilities at transport interchanges and

cycle transport in public transport

vehicles.

The experience in implementing the

Dutch Bicycle Master Plan (Directorate-

General for Passenger Transport 1999)

yielded a lack of understanding of how,

why and when car users would switch

mode for short journeys. Thus, there is a

need for research to provide an in-depth

analysis of the transport mode-related

behaviour of car users.

The strategic goals of the Dutch Bicycle

Master Plan present a good example of

goal setting. They are presented in

Appendix 1.

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4. DEFINING TARGETS

The strategic targets should be

defined in quantitative, measurable

terms that correspond to the

political will and the possibilities of the

respective country. It is advisable to set

both primary and supplementary targets.

It is inevitable that the targets should be

different for those countries that have

already advanced in integrating the

promotion of walking and cycling into

their transport policies and for those that

have not taken such steps for cultural,

environmental or other reasons.

Guidelines and possibilities for target

setting include:

4.1. Headline targets

Increase in walking:

• increase the number of walking trips

by a defined percentage of all journeys

within a given time period.

Increase in cycling:

• increase the number of cycling trips by

a defined percentage within a given

time period.

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4.2. Supplementary

targets

Journey distances:

• increase the number of walking trips of

short distances of under 3 km by a

defined percentage within a given time

period.

Journey purposes:

• increase the proportion of walking and

cycling for work commuting by a

defined percentage within a given time

period;

• increase the proportion of walking and

cycling for school commuting by a

defined percentage within a given time

period;

• increase the number of combined

public transport and cycling trips by a

defined percentage within a given time

period.

Infrastructure:

• increase the percentage of the local

road network where speeds are limited

to e.g. less than 30 km/h;

• increase the local on-road cycle/

pedestrian network by a defined

number of km;

• increase the provision of walking and

cycle ways to schools by a defined

number of km;

• upgrade the maintenance priority,

including lighting, of cycle/pedestrian

ways (to meet specified target criteria).

Facilities:

• increase the number of adequate cycle

parking facilities at travel interchanges,

in public sites and by major employers;

• increase the provision of shower and

locker facilities at public and major

private work sites.

Promotion:

• provide sufficient pedestrian and

cycling education, including personal

safety, in schools and for the general

public.

The target setting of the Dutch Bicycle

Master Plan (Directorate-General for

Passenger Transport 1999) is given as an

example in Appendix 1.

The UK Government targets for health

improvement and sustainable transport

(Health Education Authority 1999) are

given in Appendix 2.

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5. ESTABLISHING CONSENSUS

Comprehensive strategic planning

and implementation thereof of

walking and cycling transport

requires active collaboration, and

eventually a consensus, between a number

of parties. The key collaborators in

developing local plans are the authorities

responsible for health, education, sports,

transport and land use. Other important

collaborators are transport operators, the

cycle industry, the health care industry and

the traffic safety authorities, including the

police. Voluntary and consumer

organisations promoting exercise, sports,

recreational activities and sustainable

transport and environment are also

important contributors in developing and

carrying out an effective strategic plan.

The Dutch experience (Directorate-

General for Passenger Transport 1999)

suggested that the government’s role is

initially to be a catalyst. Other lessons

learned indicated a lack of understanding

from bus and rail operators, lack of

meaningful input from the cycle industry,

and a lack of enthusiasm from the police

to tackle cycle thefts. It was also learned

that closer contact with urban developers

was needed.

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6. TAKING ACTION

The strategic measures for the

development of walking and

cycling fall into two broad areas:

creating a pro-walking and cycling culture

and improving infrastructure.

6.1. Creating a pro-

walking and cycling

culture

To obtain a significant level of growth in

walking and cycling will not only require

local improvements in conditions and

facilities but also an acceptance of walking

and cycling as desirable transport modes

among the public, professionals and the

transport providers. They need to be

convinced that more walking and cycling is

a practical transport option offering

desirable community and personal benefits.

Communication programmes, incentives

and regulatory and legal measures are

important methods in establishing pro-

walking and cycling culture.

6.1.1. Communication

programme

The communication strategy may be built

on theoretical models that have been used

successfully in health promotion. The

Social Marketing theory has proved

popular in recent national HEPA

promotion programmes (Foster C. 2000).

Effective communication campaigns need

parallel changes in the social and physical

environment.

Messages

Communication messages should focus on

promoting alternatives to the car-

dependent lifestyle and minimising car

dependency. They should highlight the

advantages of walking and cycling

compared to other means of transport.

Such characteristics include the facts that

they are omission-free, energy efficient,

healthy, cost effective, quick, and have low

space requirement. The commonly

perceived obstacles, e.g. suburban lifestyle,

dispersed land use, need to drive children

to school and leisure services, declining

public transport, insecurity and danger,

and bad weather and hilly roads, should be

weighted against the advantages of walking

and cycling.

In order to have facts and arguments

penetrate effectively, they need to be

repeated frequently, in different ways and

via numerous channels.

Target groups

The campaign target groups are road users,

transport providers, professionals and

journey generators.

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Road users include the key groups of

motorists, commercial and public

transport drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

They shape the transport environment

into which the potential walkers and

cyclists must consider venturing on foot or

by cycle. All groups must understand and

accept their rights and responsibilities

towards other road users. Motorists are to

understand the impact of excess speed and

of giving insufficient space to pedestrians

and cyclists while the latter must

acknowledge the negative consequences of

poor traffic behaviour. Proactive attitudes

towards personal safety when cycling,

including helmet use and other protective

measures, should be emphasised.

The main groups of direct transport

providers are the Ministry of Transport,

municipalities, and public transport

operators, companies and organisations.

Intermediary providers include interest

groups, regional transport authorities and

transport consultants. It is important that

these groups understand and comprehend

the environmental and health significance

of shifting the prevailing dominance of car

culture towards pro-walking and cycling

culture, and that they contribute in their

capacity towards the strategic goals.

Professionals in transport, environment

and health fields are key players in the

forming of a more favourable social culture

for walking and cycling. The information

indicating the need and evidence for modal

shift, and the strategic and practical

measures to achieve it, are to be included

in their basic and continuing education.

Journey generators can play a powerful role

in developing a pro-walking and cycling

culture. The major generators are work

sites, shops, educational institutions,

health and social service providers, and

leisure service providers. They should

consider the needs of pedestrians and

cyclists and provide their support to meet

them.

Delivery organisation

In delivering the communication

campaign, all concerned parties should

join forces for concerted action. Local

expertise should be identified and with the

support of national and regional author-

ities a local communication strategy

should be designed. Walking and cycling

interest groups may play an important role

in initiating and implementing such a

strategy.

The communication messages to different

target groups in the Dutch Bicycle Master

Plan (Directorate-General for Passenger

Transport 1999) are described in

Appendix 1.

6.1.2. Incentives

Incentives aim at making walking and

cycling more competitive transport modes

compared to the car. Possible successful

incentives for cycle use include tax

benefits, health insurance benefits, salary

bonuses, other material rewards, and free

bicycles. More appropriate incentives to

be used in different cultures and environ-

ments are to be developed through

research and experimentation.

6.1.3. Regulatory

and legal measures

In addition to informational communi-

cation campaigns and incentives, regulat-

ory and legal measures are important

“hard” methods to create a more favour-

able social climate for walking and cycling.

Experiences in reducing and containing

tobacco smoking by strict legal regulations

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indicate the potential impact of such

measures. Successful options with regard

to promoting transport walking and

cycling include taxation of work

commuting by car, promotion of work

site-specific travel policies, car parking

regulations in public areas and venues and

through building codes.

6.2. Improving the

transport infrastructure

Promoting walking and cycling without

improving the facilities for their use is

meaningless. The following are examples of

effective environmental interventions:

Land use and

transport planning

• Encourage multiple use development in

urban planning where possible.

• Encourage development patterns and

the location of developments which

ensure that short trips to work, places

of education, and local facilities can be

made on foot or by bicycle.

• Incorporate pedestrians and cyclists

safely in traffic schemes; they should

not be considered as separate road

users.

• Avoid unsegregated shared use of space

for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly

in a dense urban context.

• Link foot and cycle paths to public

transport.

• Facilitate transport of bicycles by

public transport.

• Restrict car parking provision.

Speed reduction

• Use traffic calming measures to their

fullest in pedestrian and cycling areas.

• Use the 30 km/h maximum speed limit

in all existing and potential areas dense

with pedestrians and walkers.

Highway design and

transport engineering

• Ensure that changes to the highway

infrastructure or new developments do

not sever existing or proposed

pedestrian/cycle routes, and do not

reduce accessibility or increase

perceived or real danger for pedestrians

and cyclists.

• Improve pedestrians’ and cyclists’ safety

and give them improved priority in

terms of access and journey time.

• Establish best practice design and

construction standards in all highway

improvements which incorporate on-

road walking and cycling facilities and

route networks.

• Ensure that highway schemes that do

not include specific walking and

cycling facilities are designed to

minimise deterrents to walking and

cycling.

• Avoid deterring people from walking

and cycling by longer, less convenient

and less secure routes when building

safety improvements such as pedestrian

and cycling barriers and bridges and

underpasses.

• Modify traffic rules to give priority to

pedestrians and cyclists in motor traffic

interfaces.

Walking and

cycling networks

• Prepare a specific proposal for a

hierarchy of on- and off-road walking

and cycling routes to form a safe,

coherent, continuous and convenient

network across major trip generators

such as large shopping centres, major

job, education and leisure facilities and

public interchanges.

• Take into account the type of user

group most likely to make increased

use of them in the design and

prioritising of pedestrian and cycling

Page 22

network with particular emphasis on

the needs of commuters to workplaces,

schools and public transport

interchanges with short trip distances.

• The walking and cycling network

should provide:

- on-road alternatives to main radial/

orbital roads;

- off-road alternatives to main radial/

orbital roads whenever possible;

- local area networks of shorter roads

from residential areas to local trip

generators;

- links to nearby countryside

recreational areas.

Public transport

infrastructure

• Encourage multi-modal journeys by

easy and safe access to public transport

interfaces and by adequate storage

facilities for cycles.

• Provide built-in facilities for the

carriage of cycles on trains, trams and

buses.

Cycle parking

• Provide quality cycle parking at

educational and other public

establishments, leisure facilities, major

trip generators and public transport

interchanges.

• Encourage public and private

organisations to provide cycle parking

at or near their premises for staff,

customers and visitors.

Traffic signals and signs

• Adopt traffic signals to cater for

pedestrian and cyclists’ flows and

speeds.

• Design urban road signs not only for

drivers but equally for pedestrians and

cyclists with easy-to-read street names

and appropriate distances.

Road lighting and

other conditions

• Consider not only the drivers but also

the needs of pedestrians and cyclists in

the design of lighting for main streets

and areas dense with walkers and

cyclists.

• Use lighting effectively to make

pedestrian precincts and cycle routes

safe, inviting and pleasurable.

• Keep pedestrian and cycle ways clean of

dirt, rubbish, snow and ice by

upgrading their maintenance status.

Vehicle design

• Promote bicycle design that improves

the visibility of cyclists.

• Encourage vehicle design that permits

cycle transport.

• Discourage the design of heavy duty

vehicles and cars with aggressive bull

bars and other gimmicks conducive to

increased accident risk for pedestrians

and cyclists.

Walking and

cycling audit

• Establish auditing procedures for

walking and cycling to ensure that the

needs of pedestrians and cyclists are

considered at key stages of all land use,

highway and other relevant

development schemes.

Page 23

7. OBTAINING FUNDING

Developing and maintaining a pro-

walking and cycling infra-

structure requires sufficient

funding in annual budgets of national and

local transport authorities. The local

funding is critical in order to provide the

proper facilities in places where most

people live, work and spend their leisure

time. It is important to secure a fixed, e.g.

one third, proportion of the total annual

infrastructure budget for the development

and maintenance of walking and cycling

facilities.

Further funding can be obtained by

establishing mutual ownership between

the collaborators in the development of

walking and cycling. Important potential

contributors are the cycling industry,

public transport providers, insurance

companies and major employers.

Page 24

8. ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING

The real potential of walking and

cycling in promoting health and

sustainable environment is only

just emerging. In order for all involved

parties to understand and accept its

significance, vigorous and persistent

advocacy and lobbying is needed by the

key HEPA promoters. Some of the general

principles in doing this are:

• advocacy and lobbying need to be part

of the political sphere;

• successful lobbying needs a network of

collaborating partners;

• media is a major force in influencing

peoples’ attitudes and behaviour;

• pro-walkers and cyclists need to

penetrate into all sectors of life;

• the case for walking and cycling must

be based on reliable research evidence.

9. MONITORING AND

EVALUATION

Monitoring and evaluation

procedures must be integrated

into the walking and cycling

strategy. Monitoring and evaluation must

be closely linked to the strategic goals with

measurable target indicators. They provide

evidence to assess the efficacy, cost-

effectiveness and feasibility of the adopted

strategies and actions. Indicators for

monitoring need to be incorporated into

existing information gathering systems.

Page 25

References

British Medical Association. Road transport and health. BMA, 1997.

Cyclists’ Touring Club. More bikers – Policy into best practice.

Godalming: CTC, 1995.

Dora C, Phillips M, (eds). Background document on transport,

environment and health. Copenhagen: World Health Organisation.

Regional Office for Europe, 1999.

Directorate-General for Passenger Transport. The Dutch Bicycle Master

Plan: description and evaluation in an historical context. The Hague:

Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, 1999.

Foster C. Guidelines for national health-enhancing physical activity

promotion programmes. Tampere: UKK Institute, 2000 (in press).

Health Education Authority. Making T.H.E links: integrating sustainable

Transport, Health and Environmental policies: A guide for local

authorities and health authorities. London: Health Education Authority,

1999.

US Department of Health and Human Services. A report of the Surgeon

General, Physical Activity and Health, Atlanta, GA, 1996.

Vuori I, Oja P. The health potential of physical activity through transport

by walking and cycling. A scientific review prepared for the Charter on

transport, environment and health, 1999.

WALCYNG. How to enhance WALking and CYCling instead of shorter

car trips and to make these modes safer. Lund: University of Lund, 1998.

World Health Organisation. Charter on transport, environment and

health. Centre for Urban Health, Europe, WHO, 1999.

Page 26

APPENDIX 1

Selected parts of

the Dutch Bicycle Master Plan

1. An example of a successful strategy

Step 1.

Dealing with the source

This means clean and efficient vehicles, limiting land use for infrastructure and limiting

vehicle access to towns and areas of natural interest.

Step 2.

Reducing and managing mobility

This requires shorter distances between places where people live, work, shop and spend

their free time. It will be necessary to increase the price of mobility.

Step 3.

Improving the alternatives to the car

In terms of passenger transport this means the bicycle, public transport and carpooling.

Step 4.

Providing selective accessibility by road

All places should not always be totally accessible to all modes of transport.

Step 5.

Strengthening the foundations

This involves communications, government co-operation at all levels, finance,

enforcement and research.

Page 27

2. An example of target setting

The universal objective: “Promoting bicycle use while simultaneously increasing bicycle

safety and appeal”.

Spearhead 1:

The switch from the car to the bicycle

Primary target: An increase of 3.5 million passenger kilometres by bicycle by the year 2010

in relation to 1986, resulting in a contribution of 8.75 per cent to the desired reduction in

the growth of car use.

Spearhead 2:

The switch from the car to the public transport + bicycle

Primary target: An increase in train transport of 1.5 billion passenger kilometres (15 per

cent) in 2010 in relation to 1990, by means of improving the transport chain of public

transport and the bicycle.

Spearhead 3:

Cyclist safety

Primary targets: Fifteen per cent fewer cyclist fatalities in 1995 than in 1986 and 50 per

cent fewer in 2010. Ten per cent fewer injured cyclists in 1995 than in 1986 and 40 per

cent fewer in 2010.

Spearhead 4:

Bicycle parking facilities and theft prevention

Primary target: A substantially lower number of bicycle thefts in 2000 in relation to 1990.

Spearhead 5:

Communication

Primary targets: In 1995 bicycle policy is an integral part of all traffic and transport plans

carried out by the state, provinces, municipalities and transport regions. The transfer of

knowledge in 1995 is completed with regard to the results of the pilot and model projects.

3. An example of communication messages

Citizens:

many trips are short: 70 per cent of all trips made in the Netherlands are shorter

than 7.5 kilometres;

the bicycle is the most efficient mode of transport for many short trips and

inexpensive at that;

cyclists experience reliable arrival times and no traffic congestion;

cycling is good for staying in shape and is relaxing;

cycling, as an individual mode of transport, offers privacy; the bicycle is always

available and takes you from door to door;

it does not rain quite as often in the Netherlands as is commonly believed.

Page 28

Decision-makers of direct target groups

(municipalities and provinces, public transport

operators, the business community and institutions):

cycling is an important mode of transport; 28 per cent of all trips in the

Netherlands are covered by bicycle (48 per cent by car, 17 per cent on foot, 5 per

cent by public transport);

practically everyone cycles; young and old, men and women, rich and poor;

there is an abundance of potential for more bicycle use: people say that bicycle use

may be stimulated at the expense of car traffic; motorists say that nearly half of

those short car trips in the city and village could have been made by bicycle without

any inconvenience;

bicycle use in transport to and from the train and regional transport can improve

the efficiency of the combined use of public transport and the bicycle considerably,

and can increase the use thereof as an alternative to long car trips;

cycling is clean; if half of all short urban trips had been made by bicycle it would

have reduced the CO2 emissions by approximately half of the reduction that would

have been achieved through the effective reduction of speed limits on highways

from 120 to 100 km/hr;

cycling creates no noise pollution;

bicycle routes do not split up urban and rural areas;

bicycles take up little space, both when being ridden as well as when parked;

bicycle traffic and bicycle parking facilities are inexpensive in comparison to

facilities for car traffic and public transport; the infrastructure for bicycle traffic

costs an average of two to three cents per kilometre cycled, while every kilometre

covered by a passenger in urban public transport costs around forty cents subsidy

on average just to cover shortages on operation costs;

cyclists form an important group of shoppers; they spend less money per visit on

average, but visit shops more frequently.

Page 29

APPENDIX 2

The UK Government targets for health improvement and sustainable transport

Issue

Target

Coronary heart disease and stroke

Reduce death rate in people under 75

(and related diseases)

by at least two fifths

Cancer

Reduce the death rate from cancer

amongst people under 75 by at least one

fifth

Accidents

Reduce death rate from all accidents by at

least one fifth and serious injuries by at

least one tenth

Mental health

Reduce death rate from suicide and

undetermined injury by at least one fifth

Air quality

Achieve national air quality objectives on

benzene, 1,3-butadiene, carbon

monoxide, lead and nitrogen dioxide,

ozone, sulphur dioxide and particulates.

Achieve national target for CO2

reduction in the local transport plan

Road safety

Local targets to be set in road safety

strategy for 2005

Traffic reduction

Local targets to be considered under the

local transport plans

Walking

Targets to be set in the National Walking

Strategy, due 1999

Cycling

To double 1996 levels of cycle use by

2002, and again by 2012