1 Promotion of bike: the Dutch experience PIMMS TRANSFER MC 2009 Almada, 25 March 2009 Giuliano Mingardo [email protected]

1

Promotion of bike: the Dutch experience

PIMMS TRANSFER MC 2009

Almada, 25 March 2009

Giuliano [email protected]

2

Why the Netherlands?

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Why the Netherlands?

• Proportion of journeys to work by bicycle (Urban Audit 2004):– 12 out of the best 20 European cities are Dutch

cities

• The average distance biked per person per day is 2.6 Km;

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Proportion of journeys to work by bicycle: the best 10 cities

1 Groningen (NL) 37.00%

2 København (DK) 36.12%

3 Oulu (FI) 34.00%

4 Odense (DK) 33.74%

5 Leeuwarden (NL) 32.00%

6 Enschede (NL) 31.00%

7 Apeldoorn (NL) 29.00%

8 Tilburg (NL) 28.00%

9 Aarhus (DK) 26.98%

10 Umeå (SE) 26.00%

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Bicycle use in the Netherlands

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What is the secret?

• Conventional wisdom might suggest that culture, topology and climate are responsible for the success in the Netherlands;

• However, policies are the impetus for making cities either bicycle-friendly or car-friendly!

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Bicycle policy in the Netherlands

• In the Netherlands there are two main policy documents for bicycle:– 1994: ‘Sign up for a bike’– 2007: ‘Design Manual for bicycle traffic’

• Both documents have been issued by CROW, the Knowledge Platform for Infrastructure, Traffic, Transportation and Public Spaces

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Policies or guidelines?• These manuals are guidelines;• They are not a legislative or reglatory

instrument!• Nevertheless, the majority of Dutch

municipalities use the guidelines published in these manuals!!

• They provide the information designers need to make the bicycle a fully fledged participant in the traffic and transport system.

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Why the bicycle?

• For the user (cyclist):– It’s cheaper;– It’s healthier;– It’s reliable;– It’s comfortable;

• For the employer:– A bicycle rack is cheaper than a parking space;– Employees that cycle regularly are less sick than

the average;

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Cyclists are healthy people!

• TNO research among three large employers in the Netherlands:– 1,236 employees;– 64% regularly cycle to work;

• Main outcome:– Employees that cycle regularly are less sick;– The larger the distance they cycle the less they are

sick;

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Motives

• The most important reason to use the bike is health;

• The most important reason for not using the bike are:– Distance;– Weather;– Sweaty;

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How to stimulate bike use?• TNO survey among 879 HR managers:

– 48% actively stimulates bicycle use;– How? Providing facilities: showers and parking

• How could you stimulate cycling further?– Financial subsudies;– Better knowlege of the investment in cycling

infrastructure;– Cooperation with professional organizations that

stimulate cycling;

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Erasmus University Rotterdam

34143%

20%

19925%

152%

41%

21928%

71%

Car

Moped/scooter

P ublic transport

Bicycle

By foot

Motor

Car+publictransport

Modal Split employees

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3%

5%

0%

4%

43%

1%

0%

16%

11%1%

16% 19%

6%

5%

1%

4%

13%

19%

21%

1%

8%

3%0%

Comfortable

Quiet, be on yourownTo avoid delays

Cheap

Reliable

Rapidly

Pleasant

Safe

Independent

Flexible

Good forhealth/environmentNo other reason

Reasons for traveling by car

15


1%3% 5%4%

2%

28%

13%0%

9%

5%

30%

2% 4%7%

10%

3%

15%

11%0%8%

12%

25%

3%

Comfortable

Quiet, be on yourownTo avoid delays

Cheap

Reliable

Rapidly

Pleasant

Safe

Independent

Flexible

Good forhealth/environmentNo other reason

Reasons for traveling by bike

16


5

1

1

40

7

0

158

1

24

124

6

0

0

270

0

172

54

2

4

6

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Car

Mop

ed/sc

oote

r

Public

tran

spor

t

Bicycle

By fo

ot

Mot

or

Car+p

ublic

tran

spor

t

Mode

Per

cen

tag

e

8+ kilometre

2-8 kilometre

0-2 kilometre

Distance vs. modal split

17


10

1

26 36 2

0 0

313

1 90

118 9

4

6

18

283

65 4

0

1

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Car

Mop

ed/sc

oote

r

Public

tran

spor

t

Bicycle

By fo

ot

Mot

or

Car+p

ublic

tran

spor

t

Transport mean

Per

cen

tag

e

Neutral

Negative

Positive

Opinion about the monthly payment for parking the car

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Erasmus University RotterdamModal Split students

341

43%

2

0%

199

25%

15

2%

4

1%

219

28%

7

1%

Car

Moped/scooter

P ublic transport

Bicycle

By foot

Motor

Car+publictransport

435

17%

2

0%

1432

56%

593

23%

74

3%

4

0% 32

1%

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Entrepreneur

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E-bike

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E-bike

• Main advantages:– Electric support;– You can bike at an average speed of 20-25 km/h

without being sweaty;– Increased speed = Increased distance

• Main problems:– Cost (approx. €2,000);– Safety;– Image?

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What about parking and bicycles?

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Rain sensor

Documents

1 Promotion of bike: the Dutch experience PIMMS TRANSFER MC 2009 Almada, 25 March 2009 Giuliano Mingardo [email protected]