How to increase walking and cycling ECOMM 2008 Workshop

Paul Curtis & Jorg Kastelic5 June 2008

Advancing Sustainable Transport in Urban areas To promote Energy efficiency

Start & End February 2006 to January 2009

Total budget€1.8m ( Intelligent Energy Europe – STEER)

Lead Partner London Borough of Bromley / LEPT

ASTUTE: Main Objectives• Identify and overcome Barriers

• 10% increase in levels of cycling and walking

• Tried and tested Best Practice Toolkit for sustained application across Europe: 1500 Free DVDs

• Disseminate Best Practice further via ASTUTE Agents in 6 New Member States

• 100 businesses with a Travel Plan (Mobility Plan)

• Equivalent reduction in Co2

• Improved Health – fewer sick days, more alert staff fewer road accidents

Benchmarking Report

• Stakeholder Consultation• 10 Launch events across the EU• New Member States Forum - 17 cities

• Best Practice Collation • Barrier analysis and definition

The 10 ASTUTE Barriers

Definitions

10 Barriers to the uptake of Cycling & Walking

1- Safety and Security Concerns 2- Lack of Infrastructure and Support3- Poor Public Perception and Lack of Awareness4- Inadequate Urban Environment and Design 5- Accessibility and Health Issues

6- Congestion and Air Pollution7- Lack of Public Sector Support

8- Lack of Education and Training 9- Lack of Private Sector Support

10- Inadequate Information

ASTUTE: Barriers• 1) Safety and Security Concerns

Safety relates to the perceived or actual danger encountered whilst cycling on the road, or walking from A to B: ‘Stranger Danger’. Security relates to unsafe storage of bicycles or associated equipment.

• 2) Inadequate InformationAn ‘unreceptive’ target audience due to inadequate and/or conflicting information on alternative modes of transport, and lack of coordination between responsible organisations.

• 3) Inadequate Urban Environment and DesignInfluencing factors such as topography, climate.

ASTUTE: Barriers

• 4) Lack of Infrastructure and Support

Insufficient provision and maintenance of cycle lanes and walking paths. Discontinuous networks and inter changes with other transport modes.

• 5) Poor Public Perception and Lack of Awareness

Walking and cycling not considered a viable transport mode. Habits not successfully challenged by campaigning organisations. Image of cycling and walking unchanged.

ASTUTE: Barriers• 6) Accessibility and Health Issues

Lack of bicycle stands, accessory equipment and shower facilities making cycling less convenient an alternative. Fitness of public insufficient to cycle or walk medium to long distances.

• 7) Lack of Public Sector SupportInitiatives not implemented due to low priority, lack of political support, incompetence and missing inter-departmental cooperation.

ASTUTE: Barriers

• 8) Lack of Private Sector Support

Businesses not briefed on benefits of sustainable transport employed by staff. In-house resources insufficient to maintain travel plan objectives.

• 9) Congestion and Air Pollution

Air pollution makes journeys uncomfortable and unhealthy

for pedestrians and cyclists.

ASTUTE: Barriers

• 10) Lack of Education and Training

Low level of cycle proficiency amongst public and few training courses available

The 44 ASTUTE Sub Barriers

ASTUTE: Sub-barriers

• 1) Safety and Security Concerns– Unsafe routes for cycling/walking– Lack of definite regulations on cycling– Fear of theft or criminal damage to bicycles

ASTUTE: Main Objectives• 2) Inadequate Information

– Lack of information on how to reach destination safely– Lack of information about walking/cycling routes– Lack of convenient signage on walking/cycling routes– Ineffectiveness of promotional campaigns– Lack of information about walking and cycling facilities– Lack of skills to promote walking and cycling amongst

businesses and citizens– Insufficient communication between city departments and

citizens

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 3) Inadequate Urban Environment and Design– Lack of penetrability of city areas to walking

and cycling– Low level of importance of pedestrian use

in the city centres– Unattractiveness and low level of quality of

urban environment for walking and cycling– Climatical and topographical barriers

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 4) Lack of Infrastructure and support– Lack of integrating existing networks– Ineligible or lack of parking facilities in the city

reduces the modal share– Inadequate public transportation accessibility– Lack of cycle tracks– Lack of facilities of bike using (loaning, storage and

repair facilities)– Lack of maintenance of the infrastructure

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 5) Poor Public Perception and Lack of Awareness– Lack of public interest– Public approach of walking/cycling– Low attractiveness of bicycle for longer

journeys (e.g. commuters)– Cultural barriers against cycling

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 6) Accessibility and Health– Low level of environmental and health awareness

among citizens– Lack of competence of citizens/organizations and

lack of power to enforce their interests– Exclusion of people reduced

mobility/minority/elderly/residents living areas difficult to access

– Low fitness levels among citizens

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 7) Lack of Public Sector Support– Transport policy prioritising private car/public transport– Lack of co-ordination between city departments and NGOs

responsible for walking and cycling– Lack of appreciation of the value of marketing campaigns– Lack of integrated planning of cycling and walking/pedestrian

traffic– Purchasing and keeping political support behind project

ASTUTE: Main Objectives• 8) Lack of Private Sector Support

– Lack of financial incentives to develop a travel plan for employees/school

– Lack of skills to implement actions for sustainable transport– Insensitivity of companies towards employee transport

preferences– Inadequate resources and knowledge by employers to

implement travel plan– Inadequate facilities of walking/cycling in the workplaces

(cycle park, changing room, shower)– Inadequate incentives by employers to encourage

walking/cycling to the workplace

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 9) Congestion and Air Pollution– Unbalanced level of utilization on

public transport vehicles

– Level of car traffic and air pollution

– Reduced accessibility for businesses due to congestion

ASTUTE: Main Objectives

• 10) Lack of Education and Training– Lack of cycling and bicycle

maintenance skills

– Children inadequate road safety skills

The ASTUTE Toolkit

Overcoming Barriers – LB Bromley LB Bromley – Barriers

1) Poor public perception and lack of awareness

2) Accessibility and health issues

3) Safety and security concerns

4) Inadequate Information

5) Lack of Private Sector Support