ABSTRACT. This paper addresses the relationship between individuals and infrastructure and the need to adapt the latter to active mobilities (Latham and Wood, 2015; Spotswood et al., 2015; Nurse and Dunning, 2023). The concept of “obduracy” (Gössling et al., 2016) refers to the resistance to change of an infrastructure originally conceived for a particular function (here, motorized traffic) when adapting it to demands (i.e., cycling) which were originally not considered (Hommels, 2005). Within this theoretical framework we focus on intersections which are particularly accident-prone for cyclists and where insecurity and ambiguity of the infrastructure leads to adaptation strategies considered as inappropriate or transgressive (e.g., cycling on the sidewalk or running a red light) (Ihlström et al., 2021). This paper focuses on two types of intersections and the measures taken to reduce their obduracy. Firstly, roundabouts, for which a behaviour recommendation is issued: cyclists should position themselves in the middle of the carriageway to be visible and avoid overtaking. Secondly, signalized intersections equipped with a sign authorizing cyclists to turn right during a red light if there is no oncoming traffic, a new rule introduced in 2021. To understand how these measures (recommendations or a new rule) affect cyclists' behaviour and experiences, we combine two methods: direct observations and intercept surveys conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland. Our results are structured in four dimensions: 1) frequency of cyclists’ behaviour in intersections (use or non-use of the recommendation or rule); 2) characteristics that explain differences in behaviour; 3) motivations and barriers (why some people use or don’t use rules/recommendations); 4) role of infrastructure configurations in promoting or inhibiting certain behaviours. This presentation will discuss the results of an ongoing project (data collection is planned in May/June, analysis between June and September) and the limits of measures that do not address the materiality of intersections.

ABSTRACT. Currently, many cities are undergoing various changes and investments to transform their cycling culture and infrastructure. Depicting how these factors may lead to positive outcomes may encourage further initiatives. Cities with precvious large investments in these areas, such as those included in the “Copenhagenize” ranking, may serve as valuable references of “why is it worth” (or not) investing in these settings. Therefore, this research aimed to compare a series of cyclist-related outcomes between bicycle riders of “Copenhagenized” (COP) versus “non-Copenhagenized” (N-COP) cities, hypothesizing that the outcomes of COP cities would be comparatively more positive than those reported in N-COPs.

In terms of participants, we involved a full sample of n=909 cyclists from 13 European cities divided into two proportional groups: 47.5% (COPs) vs. 52.5% (NCOPs).

Overall, cyclists from Copenhagenized cities tended to report considerably more ‘positive’ outcomes in most of the spheres addressed by the study (cycling behavior, health and subjective wellbeing, and safety outcomes) than their counterparts from other European cities, even though some hypothesized differences in terms of cycling anger remained non-significant.

This research offers various conclusions, helpful to better understand the potential critical role of core cycling improvements in terms of infrastructure, urban planning, culture, and policing comprised by the Copenhagenized index. -Cyclists in COPs face fewer distractions, less stress, reduced psychological distress, and exhibit less verbal aggression and riding errors. Thus, a potential reply to the study title’s question would be: “Yes, but with some exceptions”. -However, inner anger experiences related to inter-user interaction would be greater among cyclists riding in “highly cycling-cultured” locations, especially for other cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicle drivers, even though their expression is less frequent. This is an interesting issue to further explore. -These results may help to encourage further stakeholders to strengthen efforts to increase the bicycle-friendliness of their cities.

ABSTRACT. Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) form a major part of cycle infrastructure across Europe where they have been shown to increase rates of cycling, improve air quality and reduce usage of private motor vehicles when studied at a local scale. The reduced speeds and volumes of vehicles provide streets which are safer and more accessible for cyclists and can be used as a cost-effective alternative to segregated cycle infrastructure. However, there remains a lack of integration of these LTN zones to cities’ cycle networks. This is driven by a lack of knowledge on both where LTNs are and how to connect these zones optimally. This research presents two open-source tools for planning and connecting LTN infrastructure. Firstly (i), an identification tool to delineate and classify existing LTNs within urban areas and secondly (ii), a connection tool to eliminate the ‘missing links’ between LTN zones and existing cycle infrastructure at a minimum cost. The LTN identification tool uses OpenStreetMap data to identify potential neighbourhoods where streets are safer for cyclists. For each neighbourhood, a LTN plausibility score is computed, consisting of measures o f modal-filter density, neighbourhood permeability by mode type, and through-traffic modelling. K-means clustering is used to classify the likelihood of neighbourhoods as either low-traffic or not. The LTN connection tool uses the plausible LTN zones from (i), OpenStreetMap and measures of graph network centrality to identify where and what type of missing links are found between neighbourhoods and existing cycle infrastructure. Cities’ cycle networks are then optimised by procedural addition of links to generate a synthetic best-connected cycle network, utilising as much existing infrastructure as possible. Our results show how plausible LTNs can be identified at national scale and how these neighbourhoods should be best connected in the context of city-scale cycle networks through automated analysis.

ABSTRACT. Sharing road infrastructure with cars is a major deterrent for cyclists, especially in urban areas with narrow roads and the ongoing trend towards larger cars. Modeling interactions between cars and cyclists is crucial to understand the impact of car traffic on cyclist mode and route choice. However, information on the behavior of drivers in urban traffic is sparse. The majority of traffic models and observations focus on traffic dynamics on highways, implicitly assuming Gaussian velocity distributions typically observed time-aggregated measurements.

Here, we present statistics of individual velocity measurements in urban car traffic based on 145 induction loop detectors throughout the city of Dresden (Germany), analyzing over 340 million vehicle velocities in total. We find that velocity distributions in urban traffic are non-Gaussian with frequent extreme velocities, independent of the local speed limit. Gaussian distributions significantly underestimate the frequency of extreme velocities – and their potential consequences. For example, the speeding violations observed in the data would be valued in fines of about 800 million Euros annually, more than 300 times the actual fines collected in Dresden. The observed velocity statistics are supported by records of speeding violations in the city of Cologne.

Our findings shed a new light on urban traffic modeling and may have implications for road safety regulations, the design of road infrastructure, and speed limits to ensure safe urban mobility.

ABSTRACT. To foster a sustainable urban transport system, allocating road space to slow modes, e.g., bicycles, pedelecs, scooters, and cargo-bikes, etc., is considered an effective strategy to reduce car usage. However, the concern of car traffic congestion caused by the reduced capacity available for drivers hinders the policy-making process toward a cycling-friendly environment. In this work, we first assess the impact of a large-scale bike lane allocation plan on network traffic performance for the city of Zurich using a microscopic traffic simulation approach. The traffic signal control scheme for such a bi-modal network with heavy car and bicycle traffic volumes is discussed and implemented. In addition, through simulating different scenarios, we showcase the required modal shift that can prevent the network from severe traffic breakdown. By investigating the bi-modal traffic performance and their interaction in such a network, the analyzed outcomes also facilitate the development of macroscopic traffic flow models which can be applied to bi-modal urban traffic management strategies, such as perimeter control and route guidance.

ABSTRACT. The TrafRed aggregate model of UK land transport was developed in 2023 for Green Alliance and the Foundation for Integrated Transport. We took an agile approach to modelling, allowing policy stakeholders to experiment with their own model scenarios for reducing car miles driven in the UK, based on interventions in multiple travel modes. The exercise was useful not only in developing policy recommendations but also for uncovering research gaps. The findings for cycling were twofold. Firstly, at the aggregate level, we could not find strong evidence for the impact of cycling interventions on car mode share. Secondly, in the broader context, the majority of UK land transport emissions arise from trips in the 15-25 mile distance band. These trips are likely too long to switch to cycling in most cases. One relevant policy question is therefore how to better support cycling as an access/egress mode for public transport trips, enabling longer trips. The related modelling question is how best to model the impact of cycling interventions on public transport use. This is one focus of ongoing work with the same funders and Trainline.com. Mainstream UK rail models do not incorporate these effects. Devising a better classification of person and trip types is likely to be important.

ABSTRACT. Active transport modes such as cycling are generally more influenced by weather conditions. Stated preference studies on bicycle demand have consistently found negative effects of rain and extreme temperatures, while literature based on observational data is less conclusive, ranging from negative effects, to ambiguous effects, and no effect . Different effects have been found across trip purposes, but despite being proposed as future research, no existing studies have allowed weather preferences to differ across socio-economic groups. We allow so in a binary mode choice model (cycling vs other modes) with observed heterogeneous weather effects across socio-economic groups. We use weather data from the Danish Meteorological Institute combined with mode choice data from the Danish National Travel Survey). We only consider trips originating in Greater Copenhagen in the time period 2012-2019 to avoid interference by COVID-19. Furthermore, we omit walking trips, as we target the choice between cycling and non-active transport modes. We first search for potential heterogeneous effects across socio-demographic groups using a multinomial logit model to reduce computation times. The final model is estimated (in PandasBiogeme) using a mixed logit model with panel effects taking into account temperature, precipitation, wind, distance, trip purpose, sex, age, car availability, driving license, public transport tickets, and seasonality. The model intercept (general preference for cycling) is included as a random parameter. Although searching for specific groups less resilient to bad weather, we generally found that cyclists to a large degree simply ride out the storm with little influence of day-to-day weather conditions (estimation tables are included as appendix). Our results reveal a preference for cycling in temperatures between 20°C-26°C, but only for adult male cyclists. Precipitation has a significant negative effect, but only for temperatures below 9°C, and for wind to affect substantially wind gusts must exceed mean wind speeds considerably.

ABSTRACT. An update on open source tools available for cycle modelling. 1. Hills deter cyclists! But the usual approach of adding digital elevation network (DEM) to road network data creates large overestimations of elevation change, where roads traverse steep terrain. Seeing my own models fail to correctly predict any cycling on part of our National Cycling Network, I developed the Bayesian Drape tool to fix this problem.

2. Motorized traffic deters cyclists (and pedestrians)! If only there were a quick way to turn a road centreline model into a side-of-road model, so we could distinguish situations where cyclists must share a road with motorized traffic, versus situations where they must cross that flow. Sidewalker does this for you.

3. Transport does not exist in a vacuum! Building better cycle networks requires working together with urban designers. The sDNA software has been used for nearly 10 years now to build cycle models in Geographic Information Systems, but those designers prefer to use CAD software. The latest update brings support for the RhinoCAD/Grasshopper platform now popular with architects and urban designers. I invite you to use and enjoy these tools to make better models.

ABSTRACT. Reducing private car use while facilitating modal shift to cycling increasingly features as a major policy strategy to decarbonise mobility practices across many low-cycling contexts. One notable approach to achieve this shift has been to enact planning measures that overtly or covertly redistribute rights to space, access or speed that favours the practice of cycling over driving. Through impinging on the accessibility of driving, these measures can trigger public opposition, which can in turn limit the scale and disruptive potential of these pro-cycling measures. In this presentation, I outline the features of a major transport planning discourse drawn upon in public opposition to a redistributive active travel scheme proposed in Dublin, Ireland. This oppositional ‘technical discourse of transport planning’ is normatively car-centric. It incorporates several major representations of transport and traffic: ‘traffic’ as car-based (im)mobility, roads as ‘traffic’ spaces, ‘traffic’ as an immutable substance, and traffic demand-led planning. Building on this analysis, I propose an alternative cycling-centric discourse of transport planning. In particular, I consider the value of a counter-discourse where cycle mobility is worded as ‘cycle traffic’ and redistributive cycleways are represented as spaces of ‘traffic conversion’ rather than ‘traffic diversion’. I evaluate this proposition in relation to discourses that are increasingly prevalent as a means to legitimise pro-cycling measures in low-cycling contexts such as Ireland. These discourses are centred on redefining streets as places rather than thoroughfares. I consider the possibility that an over-emphasis on place might limit the construction of cycling necessary for mass modal shift outside of central urban spaces, paying particular attention to the longer-distance cycling practices intrinsically planned for in ‘cycle highways’ or ‘cycle through routes’.

ABSTRACT. This presentation will delve into the innovative approach of mapping mobility patterns and promoting sustainable commuting practices, focusing on insights derived from the Binz district in Zurich. Using our software solution, we have meticulously analyzed the commuting behaviors of 288 employees, providing detailed insights into their current modes of transportation, origins, and frequency of commute. Our study reveals the predictable impact of infrastructure disruptions, such as the prolonged closure of the Uetlibergstrasse, on commuting patterns, highlighting the necessity for proactive measures.

Furthermore, we explore the potential for employers to play a pivotal role in promoting sustainable commuting by offering alternative transportation options, such as providing E-bikes on loan. By analyzing empirical data and insights covering over 50 parameters, we showcase the tangible benefits for both employers and the region of Zurich. Particularly noteworthy is the feasibility of combining train travel with cycling, emerging as a viable and environmentally friendly commuting alternative.

Through this presentation, we aim to spark discussions on innovative strategies to incentivize employers and individuals to embrace sustainable commuting practices. We invite participants to engage in a dialogue on the challenges and opportunities in promoting sustainable urban mobility and to explore potential avenues for future research and collaboration.

ABSTRACT. The narratives of everyday people can be powerful testimonies. One application of Stories in the cycling research context is to counter dominant narratives that marginalize certain people or ways of cycling. Te Brömmelstroet et. al (2022) asked the question of how cycling researchers “become skilled in the art of developing and using alternative narratives, finding fresh ways of seeing, understanding and shaping the issues to be organized and managed”. Matthew Bruno and I are undertaking a paper project to document and celebrate cycling perspectives from communities of color in the Netherlands. Our research will advance the mobility justice approach by providing detailed perspectives that contest the dominant narrative towards communities of color in the Netherlands that they lack the same cultural aptitude to cycle as white Dutch people. Our participant's narratives will provide texture and depth that will complicate the colonial simplicity of the dominant narrative. our analysis will explore how participants enact the human and bicycle relationship. As Well as cycling’s role in the larger mobility experience of our participants. Our work will interrogate how these phenomena intersect with visible or invisible elements of the participant's lived experiences for example, gender, sexuality, class, and/or race. Our method to collect data for this research will go beyond traditional ethnographic practices of participation observation, focus groups, and interviews and include more novel methods such as ride-along or the observation of conversations within a bike kitchen during a workshop. Our research design is focused on collecting a small group of meaningful narratives. Our work could become part of a panel at CRB that focuses on underrepresented groups within cycling (full abstract is in the pdf)

ABSTRACT. Taking your child for a bike ride. What might appear as self-evident to some parents, is less simple and straightforward to others. A large-scale Flemish survey (Gemeentemonitor) recently showed that women perceive their local neighbourhood to be less safe for cycling with kids compared to their male counterparts. These feelings of unsafety can have negative consequences, as women might think twice before cycling with their kids to school. Unfortunately, this limits the bicycle’s potential as a sustainable way of getting to school and makes cycling less inclusive.

To ensure cycling is accessible and attractive to all, Mobiel 21 investigated how women experience traffic safety when cycling with their children. How? By applying a validated research method, customer journey mapping (CJM), to an entirely new context: cycling trips. This method is innovative because we apply a user-centered method, derived from marketing, to mobility research, gaining unique insights into the cyclist's perspective. CJM is a qualitative method, that combines participatory observation with an in-depth interview. This unique and innovative research method makes it possible to assess mobility and perceived unsafety from the perspective of a specific target group.

We observed twenty mothers while they cycled to school with their children during the fall of 2023. We followed them through Leuven, gauging how safe they felt at pre-determined, potentially unsafe locations along their route. Afterwards, an in-depth interview followed. This resulted in unique stories about the obstacles and unsafe situations mothers encounter in everyday life when cycling to school with their children.

All in all, observations, interviews and digital mapping of cycling routes led to illuminating insights into why, when and where female cyclists experience traffic as unsafe. The CRBAM is the perfect place to discuss these results and our experience with the CJM method with other (cycling) researchers.

ABSTRACT. Our proposal is based on a study on the consequences for transport planning and future requirements of e-scooters, conducted between 2022 and 2024 for the Swiss Federal Roads Office by an interdisciplinary research team, including bfm and OST - the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland. It was based on the rapid spread of shared e-scooters in Swiss cities and the rise of sales of private e-scooters. These new electrically powered vehicles are challenging the use of infrastructure with bicycles, fast and slow e-bikes, three-wheeled vehicles for logistics and other mono- or two-wheeled electric vehicles. This development raises many questions to which the study provided answers using different methods such as a survey of users and non-users, interviews with experts, and driving tests. The findings of this research project show that, under certain circumstances, e-scooters can contribute to a more efficient overall transport system and should therefore be considered when improving the framework conditions for cycling. E-scooters appeal more to car-savvy people than bicycles or public transport, while shared e-scooters can contribute to multi- and intermodality. As e-scooters do not require additional infrastructure, but "only" certain additional requirements for cycling infrastructure, which are also fundamental or at least of great benefit for bicycles, this potentially also further strengthens the latter. Particularly, the larger number of vehicles using the cycling infrastructure increases the need for action to expand and improve this infrastructure. Furthermore, an improved cycling infrastructure that meets the needs of e-scooter users will also prevent serious accidents (also for road users on foot or on bikes involved in collisions). These conclusions raised the question to discuss in this workshop – contributing to an emerging discussion on the links between e-micromobility and cycling and the role of e-scooters (e.g. Gössling 2020; Ignaccolo et al. 2022; Scott & Travers 2023).

ABSTRACT. Methods for planning support that aid the creation of coherent cycling networks have great potential. Infrastructure interventions may be prioritized according to their systemic impact, enabling us to raise higher cycling potentials. However, many - especially data-driven - methods tend to replicate present spatial mobility patterns rather than supporting the evolution of new patterns as a result of integrated planning.

For example, data on observed travel demand is commonly used to determine the systemic relevance of road and path segments. However, such data - if available in appropriate quality, timeliness and spatial resolution at all - by definition captures a past or present pattern. In many cases, it is also focused on a specific trip purpose. This implies that decisions based on such data in consequence optimize towards these past or present patterns.

This is why we want to critically reflect present approaches and discuss the idea of enabling mobility for everyone, on any possible relation within and in between inhabited areas up to a given maximum bikeable distance as foundation. We present a method that implements this approach by following a merely topological and morphological spatial network science perspective. It relies on segment-based bikeability to generate bikeable routes which are then utilized to assess systemic importance of each segment. Furthermore, we propose to move away from presenting single results to regarding a set of outputs which are based on different model assumptions. This allows to better address diversity of mobility requirements and behavior. We will provide real-world examples for the method outlined and make them available alongside the code used to generate the results.

This input should serve as starting point for discussing the topic in a broader context. We expect a high-quality discussion with participants from diverse domain backgrounds which should inform future research.

ABSTRACT. Cities globally encourage cycling for improved urban well-being, health, and personal mobility. However, urban planning practices and policies on active mobility tend to favour certain areas and disregard others, leading to disparities in cycling infrastructure. Thus, low horizontal and vertical equity appears. To tackle this issue we introduce a comprehensive indicator, the "Cycling Potential Index". The indicator’s development aims at providing a tool for evaluating and prioritizing locations regarding their need and potential for increasing the usage of bikes. This indicator considers multiple and diverse factors, such as existing cycling infrastructure, safety, air quality, and population characteristics, to identify priority areas for cycling infrastructure development. The initial and simplest form of the indicator is a linear, additive (with or without weights) equation that sums the relative values of the different decisive parameters. Factors indicating higher potential for cycling infrastructure construction, e.g. sufficient road width for the introduction of cycling lanes, have a positive sign. On the contrary, parameters that create unsafe cycling circumstances, such as heavy motorized traffic, reduce the Cycling Potential Index's value. Nevertheless, the signs might differ based on the desired outcome of the interventions. The indicator’s flexible definition allows for analysis at different spatial levels, ranging from local neighbourhoods to national scales. The index can also adapt specific local considerations, aligning with distinct goals and demographics. Moreover, the method not only addresses current gaps in cycling infrastructure planning but also presents an adaptable approach suitable for varied urban contexts and easy to use by policymakers. The output of this research could contribute to the design of urban environments that are not only more bike-friendly but also more inclusive, aligning with the broader theme of accessibility and equitable mobility.

ABSTRACT. Like many low-cycling contexts in Europe, the practice of ‘good’ parenting is often intimately tied up with extensive private car use across Ireland. With the private car, parents spend considerable time transporting their children to various destinations and activities and supplying the family household with groceries and other everyday domestic items. In this study, we explore practitioners of ‘cycle-parenting’ in Ireland, who use private e-cargo bikes as a key component of their broader family mobilities. Interviewing parents based in Ireland who own either an electric long-tail bike, box-bike or box-trike, we develop a conceptualisation of how private e-cargo bikes are incorporated into more general ‘cycle-parenting’ practices intended to extend the practice of cycling with the arrival and growth of their children. Using grounded theory, we illustrate how private e-cargo bikes are used to achieve a variety of sub-practices of cycle-parenting: ‘keeping an eye’ on one’s child, ‘wrapping up’ one’s child for cycle journeys in varied weather, spending quality time as a family on otherwise mundane everyday journeys, and shielding one’s child from the threats of the outside world. To conclude, we consider what cycle-parenting with e-cargo bikes in Ireland says about the Irish mobility context and propose several policy measures that could support the growth of cycle-parenting as a car-parenting alternative.

ABSTRACT. Urban development and social norms concerning childhood and youth are leading many cities to a situation where streets are no longer places for children and young people. From this social justice viewpoint, youth cycling remains a largely neglected research topic. Only a fraction of studies has analyzed the socio-political and governance contexts where youth velomobilities are negotiated and constructed. If research concentrates only on the benefits and the effectiveness of cycling lessons, awareness raising campaigns and behaviour change initiatives, it neglects the power-laden governance frameworks, discourses and experiences that shape these initiatives the first place. This wider socio-political framing is crucial for understanding the young generations’ right to the cycling city.

These research gaps have been addressed in my recent research unravelling the politics young people’s cycling in different countries. I argue that children and young people’s (velo)mobility justice necessitates novel collaboration among diverse actors. First, I describe what kinds of innovative initiatives co-created among municipal governments and local civic actors can produce projects that address the struggles that children, youth and families from different backgrounds are facing when aiming to become urban cyclists. Second, and contingently, I explain why local initiatives, grassroots organizations and social movements need to be better integrated in cycling policy and planning. Third, I present findings from a survey and interviews conducted among cycling activists in 9 European countries involved in Kidical Mass demonstrations, Bike buses, School streets and other initiatives that are politicizing children’s right to urban cycling and prefiguring more bike and youth friendly urban futures.

ABSTRACT. Walking is often the primary mode of travel for majority of people living in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. People walk for long periods of time or forego travel when they lack affordable transportation. This can have adverse consequences, including time poverty, reduced access to healthcare and education, and limited access to income-generating opportunities. This presentation will demonstrate the potential of bicycles to positively impact women’s travel patterns, productivity, and livelihoods. We draw on quantitative data from nearly 450 adults in three rural locations (Malawi, Kenya, and Zambia) who received donated bicycles from World Bicycle Relief. The study follows a pre and post evaluation design. Prior to bicycle receipt in 2022, a random sample of program participants were interviewed in a baseline survey. This was followed by an assessment a year later.

The findings will show a significant change in women’s travel patterns, with a shift from walking to using bicycles for nearly all trips. As a result, transportation expenditure is significantly reduced and by an average of nearly 50% in Malawi. Additionally, 95% of women in Malawi, 75% in Zambia, and 50% in Kenya report that bicycles have decreased time spent on day-to-day travel. For example, travel to markets reduced by an average of 33% in Malawi. Time savings are used for income generation, household chores, rest, and leisure. From an economic perspective, women report positive impacts on livelihoods, with more than 80% in all three locations saying that bicycles have contributed to increased household income levels. Additionally, there are improvements in subjective measures of wellbeing, as women report feeling empowered and appreciative of the independence and convenience that a bicycle offers. Given these positive effects, there is an increased need for system-level interventions that support improved bicycle uptake, including increasing access to high-quality bicycles.

ABSTRACT. Micromobility data are increasingly available and promise to support not only researchers but also policymakers and authorities in best integrating micromobility into the transport system. When micromobility data are collected in the wild by road users attending to their daily routines, these data bring unprecedented insights into the behavior of micromobility road users and their interaction with other road users and infrastructure. Although GPS data is the most widely available micromobility data, electrified vehicles (e.g., e-bikes and e-scooters) often include sophisticated sensors such as inertial measurement units and cameras. New advances in technology make it possible to analyze video data with artificial eyes and leverage artificial intelligence to model and analyze vehicle dynamics and user behavior, complementing GPS with information crucial for understanding micromobility safety, efficiency, and acceptance.

Within the MicroVision and e-SAFER projects, naturalistic data from e-scooter rental services have been used to investigate crash causation and model rider behavior to improve advanced driving assistance systems, support automated driving functions, and inform Euro NCAP protocols. These projects unveiled the peculiarities and prevalence of leisure riding on e-scooters and created some of the basis for sharing micromobility data and open behavioral models. If shared, the data and models from e-SAFER may serve new analyses and promote new countermeasures based on education, policymaking, and infrastructure design. However, data sharing is a double-edged sword where issues such as ethics, privacy, and security need to find a compromise with commercial interests, while the integrity of the data and analysis results must be warranted.

ABSTRACT. Self-sated cyclist types are widely adopted to consider different perceptions of urban street configuration among cyclists, and has been used for segmenting cyclists along with cycling habits (e.g., frequency) to predict perceived comfort (Clark et al., 2021). Furthermore, there could be a relationship between self-stated cyclist type (SCT), cycling habits, and perceived comfort level (PCL), and cycling habits under different contexts, such as in Piras et al. (2021) who found a positive impact of leisure cycling frequency on utilitarian cycling frequency. However, generally, such connections have rarely been investigated in urban cycling, let alone in rural cycling. As rural leisure cycling gains more popularity (Buning et al., 2019), it becomes vital to explore rural leisure cycling habits (RLH) and how they affect typical cycling habits (TH).

This study aims to understand how RLH and TH shape self-stated cyclist type (SCT) utilizing Four Types of Cyclists (Geller, 2006) and perceived comfort level (PCL), following the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (behavior-attitude causality) (Festlnger, 1957). An online US survey targeting existing cyclists, especially those with rural leisure cycling experience, was conducted (Moreno et al., 2024). Three parts of the survey were adopted: rural leisure and typical cycling habits, individual attributes, and PCL for nine urban street configurations. In total, 914 participants and 8,226 observations were used for further analysis.

Initial results of multivariate ordered probit models (Fig. 1) for cycling frequency show that RLH and TH have a stronger positive impact on SCT than PCL. Furthermore, higher rural leisure cycling frequencies lead to higher typical cycling frequencies. After controlling for endogenous effects and sociodemographic covariates, the correlation between the two cycling frequencies was insignificant. These findings imply the ”true” causal effect of RLH on TH. Promoting bicycle use may influence cycling-specific attitudes but not the perception of cycling environments.

ABSTRACT. This paper presents the integration of explicit discrete route choice models into the agentbased simulation framework MATSim, as an example. It represents an obvious research direction, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge has not yet been presented for any other agent-based transport simulation framework. Discrete route choice models, estimated from stated- or revealed preference data, are backed by years of research and can be effectively used for prediction. They allow to realistically model heterogeneity using econometric theory, and typically allow for faster model convergence towards user equilibria. We describe the technical integration of such models into MATSim and demonstrate the results using a scenario of Zurich. In a first step, we implement the route choice model only for cycling, but stress that our method is applicable to any non-PT mode.

ABSTRACT. The UK has adopted policies that target a shift from widespread use of private cars in urban areas to increased use of sustainable modes (e.g. walking, cycling, and public transport). These include policies framed around decarbonisation of transport and public health. It is often not clear to urban policy-makers which levers are most effective in achieving the necessary modal shift. This could involve a portfolio of measures where a combination of changes to the built environment, human behaviours and financial incentives or penalties are considered. Given the imperative to achieve decarbonisation targets and rapidly reduce emissions from transport, tools and models are needed to test the effectiveness of urban policies, including physical interventions in infrastructure and financial instruments. The distributional effects of such policies on different social groups and in different spatial locations within urban areas must be considered.

The work presented in this abstract tests different urban mobility policies in favour of cycling and walking by applying Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) techniques (MATSim). Such models simulate the spatio-temporal interactions of synthetic individuals travelling for daily activities (e.g., work, shopping) and using different transport modes (e.g., car, public transport, walk and bicycle) during a normal working day. Examples of policies simulated are the implementation of fully segregated cycle paths, low traffic neighbourhoods, economic rewards for cycling, economic penalties for driving, and combining cycling with public transport modes.

ABMs allow the results of each mobility policy to be analysed from 4 different perspectives: transport (e.g., mode shares and transitions of individuals between transport modes), geospatial (e.g., identification of geographical areas where the policy was successful), statistical (e.g., average trip time, distance and speed by transport mode) and socio-demographic (e.g., identification of groups in society that benefited the most of the simulated policy). Results will be presented for Tyne and Wear, UK.

ABSTRACT. This is early research exploring the potential of the bicycle to promote the scholarship of teaching and learning. Recent field school experience of the researcher in Germany and The Netherlands has motivated this research topic. Reflecting on the success of these field schools, the common mode of transportation for the students, and the instructors, was the bicycle. Our reliance on the bicycle as our principle mode of transportation offered convenience of mobility, outdoor exercise, group comradery as well as ready access to points of interest. Beyond these more obvious benefits, what contributions might the bicycle offer in regards to the scholarship of teaching and learning? What unanticipated benefits may bicycle mobility offer to enhance our collective learning? This research asks the question: What are the potential benefits and limitation of cycling to enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning. To help answer this question, a survey questionnaire was distributed amongst two Canadian field school student groups in Amsterdam (2023 and 2024). The results speak to the opportunities for cycling to enhance the student experience while also contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning. This research seeks to extend the knowledge base of outdoor teaching and learning. The potential impact of this research will open opportunities to recognize and adopt cycling as a more common mode of transportation for field-based learning. The impact of this research will be particularly relevant for urban planning and design disciplines as well as the natural sciences, climate change science and sustainability studies. A further impact of this research is the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The uptake of the bicycle as the main mode of active transportation opens new opportunities for low-carbon emission teaching and learning while advancing the SDGs in a real-world, outdoor environment.

ABSTRACT. What does the ideology of a political leader, the product of a CEO and the mission of social activist have in common? - They emerge from compelling stories that influences and invites the public to be aligned with their purpose. Good storytelling has the power to capture imagination, challenge narratives and enable action.

So why not unlock the potential of cycling narratives by harnessing the tools of impactful storytelling? Through riveting characters, emotional connections, strong visuals, rooted data, and calls to action, we can weave engaging tales that resonates with audiences to embrace cycling.

In my presentation, I will urge participants to prioritize storytelling in their cycling research and work. I'll delve into key ingredients and frameworks for crafting captivating stories, and demonstrating how these can be applied across various formats. To support this, I will showcase interactive storytelling tools, striking websites, creative blogs, and illustrative choices. Additionally, the presentation will feature examples of best practices, and links to resources grounded in my research and knowledge of engaging media and communication elements- with an aim to empower individuals and organizations with proven methods and practices.

For researchers, it will offer resourceful tools for presenting their work interactively to broader audiences. For organizations or groups, it will provide ideas for designing communication strategies with key indicators in mind. Above all, it will reinforce the notion that good storytelling is a structured practice with identifiable patterns and can be an important educational tool to shape our cycling mission(s) effectively.

ABSTRACT. A key feature of cities around the world is that their material and institutional forms are closely linked to past decisions on mobility provision and use. This is why various modes of mobility including cycling and walking co-exist to spin a web of travel patterns within a city and between its centre and periphery. The theme of this research emerged to map and compare the historically developed institutional logics for urban mobility among residents in Calabar, Nigeria and the African diaspora in Amsterdam, Netherland. The study will adopt Fuenfschilling and Truffer's approach to map institutional logics consisting of a discourse analysis of urban decision-making processes around the provision of urban mobility infrastructures. Three secondary data sources available in each urban region including, historical records of public inquiries about urban mobility, local and regional newspaper articles, and publicly available grey literature will be reviewed. Primary data will include oral interview of pre-determined questions on urban actors (both planners and residents) in Nigeria and the African diaspora in Netherlands. This will focus on urban decision-making processes around the provision of urban mobility infrastructures in terms of affordability, availability, accessibility, and acceptance. Analysis of key informant interview data will be done thematically by identifying clusters of comments on key topics. The results will include systematic overview of the various degrees at which different modes of mobility are institutionalized within and across these two countries and under what mobility conditions are research participants (or urban residents) willing to transition into cycling and walking. A model of mobility transition based on variables from affordability, availability, accessibility, and acceptance will be estimated using logistic regression analysis. Expected results are with a view to developing an urban mobility policy that guarantees smart mobility options (especially for Nigeria, Africa) that are safe, efficient, affordable, inclusive and environmentally sustainable.

ABSTRACT. Canton Zürich has set ambitious targets to achieve their goals to complete the Canton Zürich cycling network of about 1921 km until 2043. This will require construction and modification of a total of 602 km of its cycling network. Some projects already lag behind: construction of the 12 km long Limmattal cycling highway from Zürich to Dietikon, expected to begin in 2024, has been delayed indefinitely. Furthermore, these projects require high investments (e.g., the Limmattal cycling highway is estimated to cost ca. 50 million CHF) in comparison to the Canton‘s annual budget allocated to cycling (about 20 million CHF).

This presentation will visualise the cycling infrastructure planning process for the Canton of Zürich and identify the hindrances to being able to prioritise the cycling infrastructure to acieve the set targets until 2043, based on resource allocation, technical readiness, and consensus-building. The presentation will include an analysis of 1) Canton Zürich‘s cycling infrastructure investments since the first Cycling plan in 2010, 2) the planning process‘ capability to foster technical readiness, e.g., by designing all 602 km, and 3) factors related to consensus building for cycling infrastructure, e.g., communicating cost effectiveness and societal objectives related to the investments, like contributions to net-zero goals. Finally, the presentation will close with suggestions of planning support tools to make the planning process more effective and efficient including an outlook of future research.

ABSTRACT. The Canton Solothurn will build a 150km long network of bicycle highways. The main political goal is to create a substantial modal shift to cycling. Thus the core question of or project is: How do we build Infrastructure that people actually want to use?

In order to achieve this goal, we have adapted the American concept of Levels of Traffic Stress (LTS) to the Swiss environment. Together with Kontextplan, an engineering firm, we have developed a planning method for evaluating possible routes and defining the infrastructures needed in order to get people cycling.

We assume that about 60-70% of the population are interested in cycling but very concerned about their safety. By using LTS we can address these concerns. We have defined specific criteria for measuring LTS for routes and intersections. By adding scores we are able to calculate Levels of Traffic Stress between 0 (suitable for 100%) and 4+ (suitable for 1%). Also, we assume that the weakest link defines the LTS for the entire route.

Further we will present an example of how we apply LTS when finding a route for a bike highway. We will show in particular how LTS helps us finding the weakest link (i.e. intersection or section) in a proposed route. Furthermore how we evaluate proposed routes against each other by weighing solutions for the weakest links of each route against each other.

Our aim at the conference is to present our method and the related tools we have developed. In particular, we would like to discuss our set of criteria with other participants. Following the conference, we would like to improve our method by including results from related research.

ABSTRACT. esearch related to cycling behaviour faces the challenge of transferability as the study area in most projects is limited to one city/region. As different studies in different cities do not apply the same methodology, results are not comparable. In the DFG-funded project “Radverkehrsverhalten in Deutschland/ Cycling behaviour in Germany“, we use GPS data from up to 2,500 German cities from the CITY CYCLING campaign to reveal differences in route choice and cycling behaviour for different age groups and genders. To take a closer look we selected 94 cities of different sizes, topography and cycling mode-share all over Germany and processed the data to get information on trip-level. As secondary data, we added region-specific data like topography, mode share in cycling, population, length of the bicycle network, number of intersections and soft facts like satisfaction with cycling infrastructure (ADFC Bicycle Climate Test). Using established econometric models as well as new machine learning approaches, we aim to visualise different factors that influence route choice and driving behaviour (e.g., frequency, trip length, speed or waiting times at intersections) at city level as well as the goodness of fit of the different models. In our project, we focus on three main topics: route choice, driving behaviour and new models to explain both. These topics will also guide our workshop, discussing variables and their influences as well as new models and their interpretability. Within the workshop, we would like to present first results and discuss the implications to strengthen and foster our models. We also see a necessity to discuss further aspects to add in the selection process of cities or regions in our dataset.

ABSTRACT. The research objective of our contribution is to discuss fairness as a design principle of computational route choice algorithms for cycling. We address several dimensions of this issue (cf. Sonboli et al. 2022). At first, we analyse, how existing recommender systems operationalise user needs and the extent to which respective algorithms consider diversity amongst cyclists in relation to gender, age, riding style and purpose.

Existing recommender systems focus almost entirely on infrastructure parameters (traffic density, road surface and gradient) to accommodate user preferences. Cyclists, however, also consider points-of-interest (POIs) when making their choices over which particular route to take. Accordingly, AI-based recommender systems are currently under development that allow the integration of POIs into route choice recommendations. Yet, how fair are the recommendations of machine learning algorithms in relation to the diversified needs and heterogeneous preferences of cyclists?

Beyond this issue, we seek to shed light on the implications of advanced recommender systems for those offering POIs to cyclists. This is especially relevant for recreational cycling and cycling tourism where route recommendations affect the economic opportunities of cafes, restaurants, hotels, repair shops, museums and hosts of cultural events.

The fairness principles we address concern the ways in which conflicting interests can be balanced (cf. Kearns & Roth 2020). Such considerations are not only relevant in relation to the diversity of cyclists and their specific needs, but also in relation to those who offer services for them.

With our contribution, we seek to add to the fairness discussion in cycling research and make its findings relevant for the design of route choice algorithms.

ABSTRACT. We present a methodology to identify bicycle trajectories from anonymized floating phone data (FPD). The FPD was supplemented by GPS tracks which were collected separately for the same trips. The GPS tracks were used as training data for map-matching the FPD onto a network graph. The necessary database of almost 5000 trips was collected in Graz by 96 voluntary participants in 2022. Half of the recorded trips were made by bicycle. After a rule-based data cleaning (removing outliers and short stops), the GPS tracks of all bicycle trips were map-matched to the bicycle network of Graz using the Leuven map-matching algorithm (Meert, 2018). The map-matched GPS tracks serve as verified training data. The bicycle network was extracted from the Austrian “Graph Integration Platform”. The corresponding FPD was pre-processed by generating trajectories from a series of sightings. Daily trajectories were split into stationary and moving segments. Stationary segments are considered as activity locations. Moving segments of all modes were map-matched to the bicycle network by proximity to cycling infrastructure and shortest-path calculations. Finally, the bicycle trips were identified using vehicle speed and speed variation as classifiers. The model parameters were calibrated using the GPS training data (map-matching) and stationary cross-sectional counts (travel mode classification). The method was applied to the full dataset of anonymized FPD with a penetration rate of about 40% of the population of Graz. Using region-specific weighting factors, edge volumes of the entire bicycle network in the city of Graz were calculated. Empirical stationary cross-sectional data and assigned edge volumes match reasonably and will be presented. In future, neural networks will be applied to improve the travel mode classification. Furthermore, the map-matching algorithm will consider additional features of the bicycle network which are crucial for cycling route choice (cycling path, path quality, intersection delay).

ABSTRACT. This contribution presents a physical model to predict the driving behaviour of a free cyclist (a cyclist who is not constrained by other cyclists): When observing cyclists, each of them used to have a personal speed and in steady-state conditions also a quite constant speed. Bicycling means to overcome driving resistances such as aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance, climbing resistance and inertia during acceleration but increase in potential / kinetic energy. The individual cyclist as well as the responsible party for infrastructure can affect these driving resistances (e.g. clothes -> aerodynamic drag; road roughness -> rolling resistance; cycle track inclination -> climbing resistance; traffic lights control -> acceleration).

Driving resistances in combination with available power are the main causes for travel time. And travel time is one of the most important factors regarding choice of route and mode of transport, (Bovy & Bradley 1985, Stinson & Bhat 2003, Caulfield 2012, Bhat 2015). This means, those who want to increase the number of cyclists in utility trips also need to focus on and reduce driving resistances for cyclists. The presented energy and motion model could help to design infrastructure (the longer way around the hill vs. the short way over the hill?) or “green waves” at traffic lights along an alley etc.

The scope of the present model is to simulate the bicycle speed profile and the energy usage over a given route for a representative cyclist. The model is divided into two parts, a shell providing the necessary data, and the core model calculating bicycle speed and energy over distance. The core model is based mainly on the equation for driving resistance power.

The figure visualises the simplified process of the core model.

Details of the model and a case study will be presented at CRBAM24 and in the full paper.

ABSTRACT. While the wider economic benefits for car and high-speed rail infrastructure have been vastly researched, similar considerations for cycling infrastructure are lacking. This may lead to incomplete appraisal methods in policy-making decisions, thus limiting cycling infrastructure from wide-spread implementation and its climate crisis mitigating potential. This research aims to answer which wider economic benefits of cycling infrastructure in the urban transitions and transformations (UTT) exist and how they can relate to urban policy decision making in three steps.

Firstly, the status quo is analyzed regarding A) the state of the art of (wider economic) benefits in transport and UTT in connection to selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), B) the inclusion or omission of these benefits in international policy decision making. Thus, the currently omitted benefits are prioritized for further research regarding their mechanisms, relevance and potential impact.

Secondly, the solution framework WEBBI (Wider Economic Benefits for Bicycle Infrastructure) defines and evaluates the wider economic benefits of cycling infrastructure. It details how the considered mobility measures and indicators can be measured and quantified, how they impact the model in the calculation process. Additionally, it gives an overview which procedural requirements and methods are to be used for the application to a city.

Thirdly, the framework will be applied to a South-German city as a case study evaluating its impact and policy implications. After defining the mobility measures, their implementation with the existing Street Network Manipulator (SNMan) of the ETH and importing to a transport simulation tool (e.g. Visum, MatSim), additional city-specific data is collected via survey. The developed framework will then be applied to the city model. Finally, the impact of the simulated UTT will be evaluated and discussed regarding the selected SDGs, cost considerations, stakeholder involvements and possible policy implementations.

ABSTRACT. Urban areas are increasingly prioritizing bike lanes as many cities reconsider the dominant role of cars and aim to repurpose existing road space for bike lanes [1]. While many initiatives progress incrementally, the E-bike City offers a more integrated vision that includes radical reconstruction of urban areas and considers the impact of large-scale bike networks on car transportation [2]. However, user-friendly solutions to interact and compare more complex optimization approaches for bike network planning are scarce and primarily remain in scholarly work. There is a clear need for accessible, user-friendly tools that enable planners to evaluate both iterative and global strategies to support the vision of a bike-friendly city better.

Our objective is to develop an interactive web application that enables users to reallocate road space to bike lanes with multiple optimization strategies and evaluate their effects using metrics that reflect bike and car network efficiency and user perception [3]. The project will begin with creating a user interface that can visualize bike network configurations resulting from optimization implementation running on the backend, based on user-defined parameters: area of interest and the desired number of bike lanes. In addition, we design a dashboard for evaluating outcomes using Pareto optimality between bike and car travel times, among other metrics, and allow for pairwise comparison of different scenarios.

The developed web application allows flexible testing of road space reallocation from specific areas to entire city networks. It showcases network scenarios derived from both iterative and global optimization methods. Initially tested in Zurich, the tool uses Open Street Map (OSM) data, making it adaptable to different locations. The application also collects user feedback to refine its features and usability. This user-friendly web interface simplifies interaction with complex mathematical models for bike network optimization, improving the anticipation of impacts on other transportation modes.

ABSTRACT. Cities around Europe have quite ambitious goals for increased cycling, but in most cases the change is slow. The North Sea Interreg project MegaBITS engages cities in the North Sea region that want to increase cycling through ITS solutions. It has been clear from the start of the project that the ITS solution everyone is interested in is the collection of floating bike data. Thus, an interview study has been conducted with 12 traffic and city planners from the involved cities. The result show that there is a strong belief that cycling data is important to drive change, consistent with the findings of Huber et. al. (2019). The interviewees claim that with more and more detailed data there will be increased possibilities to change policy and improve infrastructure. They also argue that politicians need data to be convinced.

As cycling researchers (and cycling enthusiasts) we are still not convinced that more data is the best way towards fulfilling cycling goals. Can cities handle the data? Are cities trying to measure stuff that is already clear to see with one’s own eyes? Does it lead to the right data being collected? Are cities doing it because it is already done with cars? Even though the inclusion of data could contribute to more decisions or investments made for bicycling, the activity of collecting and analysing bike data is resource demanding in terms of competence as well as money while possibly breaching the privacy of people. Is it worth it?

ABSTRACT. In the domain of urban cycling advocacy, fostering a vibrant and engaged community is crucial. Change often originates from community-driven efforts, emphasizing the significance of fostering the urban cycling community from the bottom up. This perspective aligns with the understanding that impactful transformations in urban mobility occur when communities are empowered and actively engaged in the process. Simultaneously, assessing the impact of urban cycling conferences goes beyond mere participant numbers or feedback forms; it requires a detailed understanding of how ideas disseminate, collaborations form, and knowledge evolves post-event.

This proposed workshop, titled "Evaluating Conference Impact: Amplifying the Importance of Cultivating the Urban Cycling Community - From Bottom to Top," delves into the critical need for effective assessment methodologies within the conference sector, with a specific focus on the Cycling Research Board. Beyond merely assessing impact, the workshop aims to redefine success by identifying and understanding indicators for a successful conference. Through a collaborative approach, the session aims to co-create and identify indicators and tools that contribute to a better understanding of how conferences can effectively serve the urban cycling community. Additionally, expert opinions will be integrated to enrich the discourse and ensure that the identified indicators align with the overarching goals of fostering community engagement and amplifying impact.

By connecting these narratives, the co-creation workshop not only recognizes how community-driven urban cycling groups can bring significant change but also emphasizes the importance of looking at conferences in a holistic way. One anticipated outcome of this assessment is the potential to secure additional funding to sustain and enhance these events, therefore fostering the advocacy and community-building efforts in urban cycling, as well as generating a list of potential indicators for analyzing the impact of future CRB conferences.

ABSTRACT. Digital twins are virtual representations of physical systems. They originated as a way to anticipate rocket engine failure. Recently they became popular in urban planning, as a realistic digital model of a city, fed by sensory data and informing decision making. Many promises have been made, painting a futuristic picture of a “smart city brain” that automatically senses and steers its dynamic processes.

Those promises have remained largely empty and the urban digital twin is struggling to move past the stage of a mere hype technology. Cities are not rocket engines, and they don’t satisfy our equations. They are complex systems made out of people, in which a myriad of social and economical processes are taking place, bringing along diversity, chaos, and unpredictability. These are characteristics of cities that bring them to life, rather than unwanted noise complicating our models.

However, when hype technologies move forward, and we begin to be honest about their limitations, they can turn into a tool of practical use. A shift towards a human-centric perspective on urban digital twins is increasingly promoted, in which the technology serves actual human needs, rather than vice versa. In which human involvement in the digital processes is seen as a strength rather than a limitation. And in which black-box algorithms are replaced by transparent and explainable models, adaptable to a local context.

This workshop will be organized as a group discussion with all attendees about human-centric digital twins of the cycling city, exploring different perspectives. What is the potential, what are the challenges, and which requirements do we need to fulfill? Is there even any use at all? The final goal is to come up with a concrete list of objectives and requirements, which we all together may publish as a viewpoint article in an academic journal or magazine.

ABSTRACT. Many apartment building residents lack access to sufficient bicycle storage. In response, some municipalities have expanded efforts to add formal bicycle parking infrastructure in public space, especially bike racks and sheds. Less emphasis has been placed on the role of private space. Yet, the provision, or lack of provision, of bicycle storage on private property affects how people park their bicycles in public space. To better understand the dynamics at the boundary of public and private, this study focuses on three urban streetscapes in Hamburg, Germany. Broadening the scope beyond formal bicycle parking infrastructure, I mapped fine-grained spatial arrangements of hard and soft infrastructure, open-space functions, and parked bicycles. I aim to understand how hyper-local choices about the arrangement of space along the boundary of public and private property results in patterns of hostile, tolerant, and inviting settings for bicycle parking. The identified patterns indicate both active modification and inaction. In some cases of inaction on private property, a lack of bicycle parking resulted in the expected “wild” parking of bicycles on public property; in other similar settings, bicycles were conspicuously absent. The reverse was also occasionally true: formal infrastructure went underused. These results raise questions about the relative importance of availability of parking elsewhere on private property, perceived cycling utility, and sensitivity to theft and weathering. Urban policy on bicycle parking often focuses on formal infrastructure, such as bike racks and sheds. In reality, bicycle parking landscapes are more complex. My findings open up questions about the roles of, and coordination between, public and private actors in the provision of bicycle parking for urban residents. This research suggests the need for a more holistic perspective on residential bicycle parking – one that better accounts for the intricacies of attractive bicycle parking landscapes.

ABSTRACT. This research investigates perceived stress factors affecting urban cyclists by fusing self-reported surveys, physiological and cycling behavior data, and traffic observations. The lack of regular bicycle usage often stems from travel stress. Bicycle infrastructures are often assessed by Level of Traffic Stress (LTS). However, perceived stress is influenced by various factors, and studies suggest LTS metrics do not fully represent the subjective or physiological stress experienced by cyclists. Our study aims to clarify the stress factors based on a synchronized dataset from various sources, including biometric responses, which are indicative of the broader mental health impacts of urban cycling. Our pilot study in Ingolstadt, Germany, involved 13 participants to gather a synchronized holistic dataset, including heart rate, eye tracking, and drone-captured traffic data. Despite limited traffic, e.g., few cyclist encounters, leading to fully synchronized and high-quality data acquisition from only two participants, we observed stress-related physiological responses correlating with self-reported stress incidents. Insights from this pilot will be a foundation for the next experiment designs. The next phase involves real-field and controlled test-bed experiments in varied traffic situations and infrastructural setups to assess stress factors in more detail and comprehensively. We plan to integrate EEG and cortisol measurements to provide deeper insights into stress responses. Under the supervision of psychology and physiology specialists, the baseline biomarker levels of each participant will be established using a bike simulator under controlled conditions. This approach will allow us to consider various traffic densities, infrastructure types, and potential future scenarios, such as increased e-bike usage and aging cyclist populations. The overall findings will contribute to the improvement of bike-friendly urban infrastructure and traffic management. The outcomes are expected to inform educational initiatives and policymakers, enhancing awareness among stakeholders about the impact of cycling stress.

ABSTRACT. This poster examines how disruptive events influence commuters' transportation mode choices, especially the shift towards cycling. Understanding these shifts are vital for developing strategies to address future challenges like the climate crisis. A nationwide survey in Germany and targeted research in the cities of Leipzig, Bad Hersfeld, and Dresden gathered over 1,800 responses on travel behavior during disruptions, including pandemics, financial changes, and infrastructure issues. We analyzed the groups that changed their mobility due to disruptive events. Who is it and why did they switch to cycling as a mode of transportation? Analysis revealed a significant shift towards bicycles and e-bikes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, while motorized transport decreased. The study highlights the adaptability of commuters and emphasizes the importance of investing in cycling infrastructure to promote sustainable transportation long-term.

ABSTRACT. In order to enhance the cycling mode share and the amount of kilometres travelled, more and safe infrastructure is needed. In this context it is important to be able to evaluate the effects of cycling measures retrospectively. Detecting significant spatial changes in network-wide cycling volumes between various years serves this objective. Crowdsourced GPS tracks provide information on cycling volumes with high spatial coverage, but represent only a subset of the cycling population. Our approach utilizes GPS data from the annual nationwide campaign CITY CYCLING in Germany. Extending the method of Boss et al. 2018, the Local Moran’s I index is used to determine clusters of high and low values regarding the change of cycling volumes between years. We test three different values for changes that serve as input: the absolute and relative differences between years weighted by the total number of cycling trips as well as a combination of both. In order to be independent of changes in the network obtained from OpenStreetMap, the cycling volumes are assigned to hexagonal grid cells in a preceding step. For validation, we compare the locations of clusters of high and low values to information on cycling measures and obstructions. Figure 1 shows the results for the comparison of cycling volumes from 2022 to 2023 within a network section in Dresden, Germany. Exemplary, two construction sites that prevented cyclists from travelling through are marked. The obstruction in 2022 results in a cluster of high values, thus indicating a significantly higher cycling volume in 2023 in comparison to 2022. The obstruction in 2023 results in a cluster of low values, accordingly. To further improve our results, we will take into account significant changes in numbers of cycling trips starting and ending at different areas to indicate spatially relevant changes among the campaign participants.

ABSTRACT. While roundabouts, in comparison with intersections, are associated with decreased severity of motor vehicle crashes, recent crash data suggest that this is not the case for bicycle crashes (12% of all collisions). At the same time, the Netherlands is undergoing increasing congestion in bicycle facilities as more non-normal bicycles (fat tire bikes, ebikes, cargobikes, etc) are becoming popular. There is a working group of researchers and professionals that are actively working on an update to their roundabout design guidelines. This study aims to explore which design characteristics and socio-demographic factors influence bicyclists’ perceptions of safety and comfort at roundabouts.

Several factors were identified from past research that have an influence on objective and subjective bicycle safety at roundabouts: recent bicyclist crash history, which mode has yielding priority, buffer width between the car lanes and bicycle facility, the number of crossing points for bicycles, and bicyclist behaviors (long term level of risk taking, errors, and positive behaviors). In addition, this research analyzed two different bicycle volumes, the presence of art and/or advertisements in the center island, whether the bicycle path is bi-directional or not, and the shape of the bicycle path in comparison with the vehicular roundabout. An empirical study was conducted to explore the relationship between bicyclists’ perceptions of comfort and safety, with the aforementioned roundabout features. Photos of eight real world roundabouts in the Netherlands were modified and used in the study. Although the study is currently ongoing, with random sampling of the Dutch population around TU Delft campus, and the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, the results and findings are expected to be completed by mid-July. The main contribution that this research hopes to provide is bicycle oriented design and policy recommendations for government agencies in order to maximize perceived safety and in this way compliance.

ABSTRACT. In countries where more people take up cycling, there is concern about cycling safety. The most obvious indicators, i.e. the evolution of the number of cycling fatalities and serious injuries, tend to show an upward trend. Without questioning the ambition to reduce the number of cycling casualties, it should be noted that by always depicting absolute numbers of victims - without taking into account the increasing use of bicycles, which in Flanders has risen by 70% over the past seven years - a negative perception of cycling is maintained, which in some interpretations may lead to a blame-the-victim. Fietsberaad developed a more nuanced approach, focusing on the annual fatal risk per million kilometres ridden. This appears to have fallen by about 40% over the past seven years. Remarkably, this risk factors in reference countries the Netherlands and Denmark remained almost constant during this period and the decreased Flemish risk figures are now very close to the Dutch and Danish figures. Some hypotheses were formulated to explain the evolution: more people cycling in Flanders and longer distances being travelled, in addition to firm investments by all authorities in Flanders. The research also identified differences according to age groups and the relationship of the risk rates with other modes of transport. The higher risk factors for cycling and the non-decreasing absolute number of yearly cycling fatalities spurred the researchers to look for data on the ‘threat’ posed by the different means of transport. Similar research was already done by Rachel Aldred et al. based on crash data from the UK. Because the bicycle share in Flanders is very different from that of the UK, the researchers try to find out whether the conclusions from Aldred et al.'s research also apply and could lead to an adjusted road safety policy for cycling.

ABSTRACT. In the study, spatial and non-spatial analyzes are carried out using data on fatal or injured traffic accidents involving a total of 1026 cyclists in Konya City (Turkey) between 2009 and 2012, and the effect of establishing a bicycle sharing system - established in 2011- on the temporal and spatial distribution of accidents involving cyclists is revealed. The analysis begins with spatial assessments, discussing findings from before and after the system's installation. At this stage, firstly, annual accident density maps are created with the Kernel Density Estimation Method and the effect of the establishment of the system on the spatial distribution of bicycle accidents is revealed. Subsequently, colocation analysis is used to examine changes in spatial accident patterns before and after the installation. In the second stage, where non-spatial analyzes are carried out, the annual distribution of accidents involving cyclists is examined according to the variables "days of the week, driver gender, driver education level, accident occurrence, intersection status of the accident scene, weather, driver age". Three main conclusions are reached with the preliminary findings: First, approximately half of the bicycle accident victims are in the 5-21 age group, and the number of cyclists involved in fatal or injured accidents increases by 116% after the installation of the bicycle sharing system. Secondly, after system installation, the pattern of accidents involving cyclists differs dramatically and accident intensities are shifted to the locations where the bike sharing system is installed. Furthermore, bicycle crashes significantly cluster around stations both before and after installation, with a confidence level of 0.95. In addition, after the installation, the significance level increases significantly from a r2 value of 0.26 to a r2 value of 0.77 in 2012.

ABSTRACT. In accordance with the overarching goal of German transport planning, the city of Gladbeck, situated within the Ruhr region of Germany, has set a target of reducing CO2 emissions in the mobility sector by 68 % by 2030. To facilitate further discussion on the means of achieving this goal, the city will conduct a series of small living labs. One of these focused on improving the cycling infrastructure on one of the busiest streets in Gladbeck. The marginal effects in terms of the number of cyclists and public backlash due to the elimination of parking spaces resulted in a return to the status quo. Given the task of evaluating these living labs using MATSim (Multi-Agent-Transport Simulation), we also observed no significant change regarding cycling (+0.4 %pt. bike share in the modal split) within our simulation framework. However, as we believe that cycling can be an essential part of achieving the goals set by the city, we have examined a radical scenario for promoting cycling within the city. Our sensitivity studies on the current MATSim bicycle extension presented at the last Cycling Research Board Meeting showed that accelerating bicycle traffic is the most effective measure to achieve a modal shift. In consequence, inspired by the E-Bike-City, we rededicate half of the road space in favor of bicycles and double the speed of cyclists. The results show a change in the modal split (+11 %pt. bike share) resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions (-8 %), calculated based on the Handbook of Emission Factors for Road Transport and noise levels based on the German guidelines for noise protection on roads. A comparison with the other measures discussed in the city that we evaluated indicates that this radical scenario is promising in terms of the city's objectives.

ABSTRACT. E-bikes offer a sustainable, equitable way to travel, while still offering a health-oriented active travel choice. A systematic, longitudinal approach is crucial for understanding the impact of e-bikes on modal shift patterns through objectively measured travel behaviour. The Inclusive Sustainable Cycling (ISCycle) behaviour change intervention aims to assess the impact of e-bike loans on replacing car trips, increasing physical activity levels, developing sustainable travel habits and likelihood of future e-bike purchases. A randomised controlled trial is being conducted, with participants randomised to one of three intervention groups (4-, 8-, or 12-week e-bike loan) or to a waitlist control group. Participants are recruited as working adults who currently use a car for at least some commuting trips per week and interested in adopting an e-bike. Measurements include self-reported questionnaires, passive GPS logging using Google Maps, and on-bike GPS tracking.

In this analysis, we aim to develop a modelling framework to estimate participants’ modal shift from baseline to the intervention period. Particularly, we aim to understand the impact of the e-bike loan intervention in substituting Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT). This analysis is further segmented by three intervention groups, for each 4-, 8-, or 12-week e-bike loan, to estimate marginal differences in effect of loan duration on VKT substitution, automaticity and subsequent purchase. The analysis will also estimate the impact of e-bike loan interventions on duration of weekly active travel, measured by active-VKT (distance travelled actively, such as by walking or cycling) and active travel duration (the time spent in active modes of transportation). By comparing these metrics before and during the e-bike loan intervention, the study can quantify the increase in active travel resulting from access to an e-bike.

ABSTRACT. The lack of safety is a crucial issue for cycling. It prevents more people to cycle and makes other stop doing so. One major challenge is to accommodate cycling in contexts dominated by the car. This domination is reflected in the way roads are designed and used but also in immaterial elements such as social meanings and images.

Several research have addressed how media coverage of crashes frame safety in a way to remove car drivers’ responsibility while exaggerating cyclists’ agency. Safety campaigns are another important media that influences the debates on what should be done to improve road safety. While road safety campaigns are regularly broadcast on a large scale, they have surprisingly received little scholarly attention. This paper aims to fill this gap.

This paper analyses the national cycling safety campaigns launched during the last 10 years in Switzerland. It is based on visual material (e.g. posters) as well as the related media releases. The theoretical framework draws on Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) approach. It scrutinizes safety campaigns and their justification to identify 1) which problems are represented, 2) what assumptions underspin these representations, 3) how they have come about, 4) what is left unproblematic (or what is absent) and 5) what are the potential effects of these representations.

I show that cycling safety campaigns put the responsibility of safety on individual cyclists, promote individual measures they must adopt (helmet, hi-viz, positioning) while totally ignoring cars and car drivers. By neglecting the fact that roads are a social system with a hierarchy of users, they reinforce the domination of cars and moto-normativity (as coined by Walker).

ABSTRACT. Understanding public preferences regarding urban street design is crucial for fostering livable and sustainable cities. This study presents findings from a stated choice experiment aimed at evaluating residents' and users' preferences for street-level built environments, with a focus on walkability and bikeability, based on survey data from a representative panel of around 5000 respondents from the Swiss population. Participants are presented with visualizations of two hypothetical urban streets reflecting the current state and two proposed scenarios with varied improvements in infrastructure, environmental features, and social amenities. Utilizing a randomized design, participants rated each scenario in terms of bikeability, willingness to live there, and acceptance as a potential policy proposal. The experiment incorporates to present respondents either with a main road or a neighborhood street. Additionally, they received one of two distinct presentation formats: static pictures and immersive 360° visualizations. Participants are randomly assigned to either format to explore potential differences in perception and decision-making. We expect nuanced differences in response patterns between the two presentation formats, with the immersive nature of 360° visualizations potentially eliciting stronger engagement and more detailed evaluations. Furthermore, incorporating a comparative analysis of the two randomly presented scenarios, considering factors such as cost implications and biking time, provides valuable insights into trade-offs and priorities in urban street design. By assessing public preferences, this study contributes to filling gaps in the existing literature and offers practical guidance for urban planners and policymakers seeking to create more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly environments. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of incorporating public input into urban design decisions and highlights the nuanced considerations involved in optimizing street-level built environments for diverse user needs and preferences, while also recognizing the methodological implications of presentation formats on participant responses.

ABSTRACT. E-Bike City is 3-year research project by the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ). There are nine subprojects using agent-based modeling to determine a realistic Plan B for sustainable urban mobility by 2050. This study explored public perceptions of an online newspaper article explaining the vision of Zurich transitioning to an E-Bike City (EBC). We reviewed 435 comments and found prominent themes including funding, street space allocation, safety, impacts on deliveries and tradespeople, overall access for those who cannot ride a bike, long-distance travel into cities, infrastructure, and weather. Overall, 58 comments where people explicitly or implicitly self-identified as a user of a particular mode of travel, (cyclist, motorist, pedestrian, public transport (PT) user, or multiple modes). We then employed an inductive thematic analysis on these comments to explore the narrative regarding e-biking and EBC from the perspectives of these transportation user types. There were no self-identified e-cyclists. Cyclists were more explicit in self-identifying compared to car drivers who suggested their car ownership (i.e., If you pay my car insurance and car tax…). Some people explained how they shifted modes over time or using several modes. Some car drivers explained that they are forced to drive for various reasons outside their control (part of job, kids, slow and inefficient PT). A theme emerged from motorists, pedestrians, PT users and cyclists (non e-bikers) about e-biking being unsafe. Most cyclists and PT users and a few motorists were in favor of EBC (even if it would limit their driving). Many motorists, pedestrians and a few cyclists were against EBC or e-bikes. In an EBC, all citizens would benefit from cleaner air and quieter, safer streets plus a drastic increase in cycle paths which would induce a desirable traffic conversion from cars to bikes. E-bikes were not seen as a solution for all.

ABSTRACT. Traffic violence, at least in the United States, is a public health crisis that is outstripping local, regional, and federal efforts to reduce injuries and deaths on our public roadways. The general driving public behaves largely unconcerned, despite a real public health crisis. There's no NARCAN for traffic deaths. There's no race to develop a vaccine. There's no single public agency tasked to confront the challenge.

A powerful piece missing from current response efforts is reducing vehicle speeds, which helps avoid crashes and reduce the severity of the crashes that still occur. Extended speed reduction through an Emergency Streets response will improve safety immediately by enhancing driver awareness, while diminishing the likelihood and severity of future crashes. Yet, such a message, while critical to cycling safety, mostly falls on deaf ears, both politically and culturally. Is that possible to change?

The recently published Emergency Streets (ES) white paper articulates a framework to reinforce the benefits of vehicular speed reduction in a targeted area, elevating drivers’ awareness of the connection between their driving speed and road fatalities.

ABSTRACT. The decisions taken by any road users in any given situation depend mainly on the perception of reality. In the perception process, attention, understood as one of its main phases, is decisive for decisions and actions within the multiple scenarios of mobility. The senses, primarily vision, play a key role in assessing attention with respect to bicycle mobility, considering that, unlike pedestrians or motor-vehicle drivers, the cyclist is constantly subjected to abrupt changes in infrastructure, signage or the environment in general. In this scenario, the attention given to the route itself, as well as to the challenges of each change, determine sequences that can be measured, analysed and interpreted, leading to a first approximation of the elements influencing the cycling experience and its impact on a route. Although psychological or biological aspects, among others, have been addressed in a wide range of studies in different areas of research on human decisions and behaviour, it is essential to highlight those aspects that are fundamental in the context of cycling transport research. Understanding the cycling perspective, i.e. their personal experience in relation to their senses, is crucial, in order to effect real change in cycle infrastructure planning. Taking into account the fact that there are disparate theories as to the process of perception, the research in this study aims in its first phase, to put these theories onto a comparative plane, commencing with the evaluation of the concept of attention in cyclists, with a specific focus on the concept of “selective attention”. As such, this study analyses the vision of cyclists using technological devices (Eye-Tracking technology), while concurrently observing biomechanical actions, e.g. pedalling or braking, using videos and sensors.