ADONIS stands for Analysis and Development of New Insight into Substitution of Short Car Trips by Cycling and Walking. As a component of this European project, this document comprises information about measures which are intended to stimulate cycling and walking so that the number of short car trips will be reduced.
Participants from four countries started by looking at measures being taking in Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen and Barcelona. Next, other locations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Spain were studied. The measures have been described and been put into a standardised format. A collection of a great many descriptions is usually called a catalogue. Such a catalogue of measures is a substantial part of this document.
For whom is this document intended?
This document is intended for local traffic authorities, particularly for those who create designs for the construction or improvement of traffic facilities, and for those who wish to influence the use of these facilities. In most cases, this will make the translation of this publication necessary; this will be the task of national governments.
What is new about the catalogue?
For cycling measures, certain international catalogues have been published. For pedestrians, no European comprehensive work yet exists although some starts have been made in that direction. It seems as if cycling organisations can stand up for the interests of cyclists better than the pedestrian organisations can stand up for the interests of pedestrians. For this reason, cycling measures are sometimes not relevant to the needs of pedestrians.
Developing a combined catalogue expresses a philosophy that emphasises the minimising of the use of measures that would negatively affect the ‘other group’, the ongoing considering of each group’s interests, and the serving of each group’s interests whenever possible.
A catalogue like this will never be really complete; other measures are conceivable, and there is more to report about each measure. The main purpose of this description of how to use the catalogue is to stimulate road authorities to prime the creative process intended to keep looking for good solutions.
Furthermore, it is assumed that only when people have good facilities will they use other means than the car for short trips. Naturally, just having good facilities is not enough; people have other reasons for taking the car instead of cycling or walking. Obviously, therefore, it is necessary to accompany this project with another one (WALCYNG) involved in developing a marketing strategy (based on the wishes and convictions of target groups) for developing communications intended to replace short car trips with cycling and walking.
Which measures are presented?
In general, two kinds of measures are presented: technical and non-technical measures which are friendly for pedestrians and cyclists. Examples of the first category are good cycle tracks and good crossing facilities. The second kind of measures concern rules and regulations, traffic signals, and public information and education.
Addressed here are 71 technical measures and 31 non-technical measures.
This catalogue places a different accent on its descriptions of cycling measures than on those for pedestrians. The part dedicated to pedestrians is more like a catalogue with an emphasis on individual measures. This was done because there was as yet no comprehensive European catalogue written in English.
In the bicycle section, the main emphasis is on creating a stimulating effect. This is why solutions consisting of a number of measures are so frequently described.
Both cases, however, focus on interesting or new measures. Traffic authorities already have experience with the many traditional measures; this report is meant to be attention-getting and stimulating. More can be expected, thus, from these somewhat more striking examples.
Also important are the selection criteria:
- comfort: is the solution attractive and does the solution make the trip shorter or faster?
- does the measure stimulate walking or cycling?
- is the measure cost effective?
- does it encourage safety and social safety (which must not be endangered in any case)?
Which measures are not presented?
This document assumes that a municipality has already allowed some space for cyclists and pedestrians in its city planning or restructuring and that decisions have already been made in regard to the locations for new cycle and pedestrian routes. Once this has been established, individual measures such as the ones presented here can be considered.
The same applies to public transport facilities. Walking and cycling are often used to cover the distances previous and subsequent to the routes covered by public transport. This document is limited to the covering of these supplementary distances. Furthermore, effective public transport does not usually contribute to a shift from use of the car to cycling and walking. On the contrary, much public transport replaces bicycle and walking trips.
What is included?
Each description of a measure is accompanied by illustrations: - photos, diagrams of a lay-out design, or other road elements - as well as illustrations of public information material. Infrastructure measures are sometimes provided with dimensions as well.
Next, the advantages and disadvantages of the measures in terms of comfort, costs, safety, and social safety are described in as much detail as possible. Also discussed are the advantages and disadvantages for road users other than pedestrians and cyclists. If possible, a cost estimate is provided.
Finally, the names of publications or organisations are listed as sources for more information.
Laws and regulations
Some of the four countries have special regulations in force for pedestrian and cyclist facilities, a fact which has consequences for the use of this document. One example is how the Netherlands strives to give cyclists broad cycle tracks. This measure is partially determined by the fact that in the Netherlands cyclists are allowed to ride side by side. It is always important, therefore, to involve the regulations in a certain country when choosing measures. In addition to the national laws and regulations, there are also European regulations (the Vienna Agreement and the Geneva Convention). Not every country has ratified these agreements, and every country can also apply the rules in its own way.
Classifications of the measures
Road authorities can have many different questions when wanting to take measures to encourage cycling and walking. They may wonder which regulations will provide the strongest motivation to cut back on short car trips, or they may wonder what can be improved in regard to the infrastructure.
In the first case, classifying the measures according to the their level of firmness - from very strong to very weak - is necessary. In the second case, making a distinction between infrastructure and non-infrastructure is most useful. And, obviously, both questions can be posed simultaneously. Classifying according to both criteria at once is handiest.
In this set of directions, several possible classification criteria will be applied to the measures while always implying a different presentation of the question. Although the classification used in the document may be the most obvious one, it is certainly not the only one possible, as we shall see. For this reason, various systems of selection will be offered.