The Danish Road Directorate has in co-operation with several Danish municipalities applied new layouts at junctions and bus stops. The primary objective was to improve cyclist safety. Before and after behavioural studies showed that the new layouts probably improved the safety of cyclists. At signalised junctions the new layouts consists of truncated cycle tracks with bicycle lanes up to the stop line, recessed stop line for cars, marked cycle crossings and profiled strips. Marked cycle crossings and profiled strips were applied at non-signalised junctions. At bus stops the conflict between bus passengers and cyclists on the cycle track was made more visible by markings e.g. zebra crossings. Before and after accident studies show the number of bicycle accidents was reduced at 7 out of 11 signalised junctions. A 30% drop in accidents between cyclists and right turning cars has occurred at signalised junctions. At signalised junctions where the cycle track has been truncated on a stretch of road with entry/exit for motorists the number of bicycle accidents has increased significantly. The number of accidents in the studies concerning non-signalised junctions and bus stops is too few to state conclusions about safety effects. A correlation between behavioural and accident studies was found. Developments in car driver behaviour due to the application of the new layout at junctions correlated with changes in the number of bicycle accidents. When a right turning car and a cyclist arrive at the junction almost simultaneously, the number of accidents decrease if more car drivers reduce speed and keep behind cyclists. More accidents occur if more car drivers hamper the cyclist's freedom of movement or violate the Road Traffic Act in terms of give way rules. (A)
Abstract