So what is it that gets people cycling? It’s not perfect facilities – Oxford is far from perfect. But by removing car parking, making good public transport easily available and by slowing down motor traffic, other cities could follow the example set by Oxford in removing would-be cyclists’ concerns and turning interest into action.
When planning for cyclists, Portland, in the US, divides its population into four groups: strong and fearless (a group which makes up less than 1%); enthused and confident (7%); interested but concerned (60%); and no way no how (33%).
The first two groups already cycle on a regular basis, but the city is having trouble getting those in the largest segment, the interested but concerned, to use bikes regularly.
It is difficult persuading potential cyclists if the roads are busy with motor traffic, and there aren’t European-style segregated cycle tracks.
In Oxford, in the UK, we’ve got many people cycling on main roads who definitely wouldn’t rate as enthused and confident. Across the whole city, more than 10% of journeys made are by bicycle, even in the outermost wards. About 16% of commuters in the city cycle to work. Most cyclists ride in ordinary clothes. They’re not particularly fast and they’re not particularly proficient. Oxford is a smaller city than Portland, but employment locations are spread around the city.
Oxford certainly doesn’t have lots of European-style segregated cycle tracks. There is a network of quiet routes on backstreets and paths, but they are generally indirect and not really good enough for people trying to get from A to B. They are mostly used by children going to school, and for leisure.
Instead, the majority of Oxford’s cyclists use the ordinary main roads. More than half of these main roads have painted cycle lanes (or bus lanes), but there’s no real separation from the traffic.
What is it that persuades cyclists to mix with the traffic in Oxford?
Partly, it’s the lack of car parking, especially in the city centre. Since the 1970s, businesses have not had permission to provide new car parking for their staff or customers; instead, they have to contribute to park and ride car parks on the edge of the city. Charges at public car parks are high, and they’re almost never full. More than 40% of journeys into central Oxford are by bus. This shortage of car parking makes many people try cycling who, elsewhere, wouldn’t even consider it.
Another reason is that no-one drives very fast in Oxford. It’s rare that anyone does more than 30mph. The side streets and shopping areas on main roads all have 20mph limits. If the residents had their way, there’d be 20mph limits on all of the main roads too.
So much space has been dedicated to bus lanes and cycle lanes that there’s not enough room for the traffic to go fast, even if the speed limits were increased. In 2000, the last two gyratory junctions were removed – they were clogged solid with traffic anyway. All the inner ring road junctions have 20mph limits, and they are much less scary than the norm.
So what is it that gets people cycling? It’s not perfect facilities – Oxford is far from perfect. But by removing car parking, making good public transport easily available and by slowing down motor traffic, other cities could follow the example set by Oxford in removing would-be cyclists’ concerns and turning interest into action.
http://www.cyclingmobility.com/interested-concerned-and-cycling-in-traffic/
