Safer cycling infrastructure: Design and policy
iMOVE’s Safer cycling and street design: A guide for policymakers project was a two-year investigation with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and the University of NSW on how to best integrate cycling into urban and suburban environments in order to interest more people in that mode of transport, addressing their concerns about safety.
The evidence driving the project emanated from TfNSW research, finding that:
48% of people are “interested” in cycling but are “concerned” about safety. This group is known as the elusive “interested but concerned” cohort.
The approach to this project was to gather new data on what design features might change this cohort’s mind, mitigate the known weaknesses of stated preference surveys, and also make use of behavioural observations, rather than only stated preference approaches. These observations are crucial, as there is a known difference between what people state their particular preference may be, and their actual preference.
The intended result of this work is to provide TfNSW, and indeed other government agencies, with an improved evidence base to be used through the next iteration of cycleway design guidelines.
Project objectives
Stating more clearly the project’s objective’s, they are:
- Understand current best practice cycling facility design internationally and locally and to identify the design, transport, and built environment components that influence bike-ability;
- Rigorously and empirically test, validate, and improve these best practice principles in location specific settings within Sydney through creating and testing a simulation / visualisation prototype to understand community preferences for cycling environments and facilities in order to inform astute investment decisions;
- Use the relevant findings to create an open source cycling facility classification matrix tool to enhance local and state governments’ active transport planning and designing capabilities; and
- Provide TfNSW and other government agencies, with an improved evidence base to develop the next iteration of cycleway design guidelines.
The needs for a shift
In addition to addressing the needs of the interested-but-concerned group, there are also higher level matters pushing for a greater take-up of cycling as a mode of transport.
There is widespread agreement among policymakers and researchers that increased bicycle riding as a mode of transport can help address many of the persistent and difficult transport, economic, environmental and health issues facing cities today.
Bicycle riding rates in Australia are moving up from a very low baseline in comparison with cities in Asia and northern Europe. As a result, this shift in public attitudes and policy includes a recognition that bicycle riding must appeal to a broader audience than the sport-oriented riders that have characterised the past fifty years of Australian ridership.
To give some idea of the potential take-up, a USA study found that “The ‘Interested but Concerned’ cohort is typically about half of the adult population of a city.
Methodology
This project had a three-phase approach:
- A literature review on current global best practice facility design and alignment with the TfNSW Cycleway Design Toolbox.
- An interactive bicycle infrastructure design tool that provides a range of design options for particular streets suitable for attracting the interested but concerned and are physically achievable for the street conditions in question.
- A virtual reality simulation experiment of six infrastructure scenarios across two streets, informed by best practice identified in phase 1, with participation from a cohort of people who fit the characteristics of the ‘Interested but concerned’.
Report findings
Literature review
Thirty-nine bicycle plans from twenty-two jurisdictions were reviewed, at city, state, and national levels.
From this review three dominant themes were clear:
- A general global trend to establish protected cycleways as standard practice, rather than an exceptional condition;
- The formalisation of quietways and low-traffic neighbourhoods as a core element of local bicycle networks; and
- A growing emphasis on the need for protected intersection design.
It was also apparent, apt, and helpful that a classification of four cyclist types has “… found broad appeal in bicycle planning globally and directly informed a number of government bicycle plans around the world.”
Those four cyclist classifications are:
The literature review also resulted in a confirmation that design and policy within the TfNSW Cycleway Design Toolbox are consistent with international best practice.
Bicycle infrastructure design tool
“The Interactive Bicycle Infrastructure Design Too is a tool that takes the current street layout and traffic conditions as input and provides users with recommendations for the design of new bicycle infrastructure, including the recommended type of infrastructure, and how the recommended infrastructure integrates into the existing road cross-section. These design recommendations are based on a comprehensive review, analysis, and synthesis of existing literature and global best practices, including a subsequent user testing to validate these design recommendations through VR simulation.”
Virtual reality simulation experiment
The simulator consisted of a standard bicycle with a step-through frame, mounted on a fixed cycling trainer stand with a roller to support the bicycle and simulate rolling resistance from a road surface.
A set of sensors was attached to the bicycle, relaying information on rear tyre rotation and steering to a high-performance desktop computer to translate bicycle simulator movements into speed and turning data within the simulated environment.
Six infrastructure scenarios were modelled in the simulated environment. The scenarios created were based on two real streets in New South Wales: Derby Street in Penrith, and Smith Street in Wollongong.
The simulation was shown to the participants via a Virtual Reality headset, through which 360-degree footage of the cycling routes was displayed. The participants also wore a wrist-mounted sensor, recording heart rate and electrodermal activity, picking up stress responses to the simulated environments.
Recommendations
Amongst the recommendations from this research are:
- The ‘interested but concerned’ cohort expressed a clear preference for dedicated bicycle paths. Cycling infrastructure that provides exclusive cycling space separated from other traffic was rated as the most comfortable and preferred option amongst the six bicycle infrastructure options tested.
- In environments tested, participants rated scenarios with dedicated paths to be significantly safer than the scenarios with the mixed traffic paths, regardless of whether the mixing was with vehicles or pedestrians.
- Consistent with the above, participants stated a greater willingness to cycle on streets with dedicated bicycle paths.
Expected project impacts
Regarding the impact of this research, Transport for NSW said:
The findings from this study underscore the role dedicated cycling infrastructure plays in attracting the ‘Interested but Concerned’ cohort. This group is typically focused on cycling safety and comfort, are hesitant about cycling in mixed traffic environments, and are more likely to be encouraged to bike ride when high-quality dedicated bicycle paths are available.
The study outcomes emphasise the importance of investing in and prioritising cycling infrastructure to foster bicycling as an attractive and viable mode of transport.
Download the report
Download your copy of the final report, Interactively visualising street design scenarios for communicating bike infrastructure options to communities and policymakers, by clicking the button below.
Watch the webinar
On 23 July 2024 iMOVE held a webinar in which outcomes from this project were presented. Watch a recording of the webinar at: How to encourage active travel uptake
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