The width of the kerbside lane on busy arterial roads has a strong influence on the stress experienced by cyclists using the road. Few studies have been undertaken into the relative cyclists' stress or safety as kerbside lane width varies. We observed cyclists and motor vehicle interaction at five sites around the Melbourne Metropolitan area. The results were captured on video for analysis. All sites were monitored with cars parked along the kerb and during clearway periods. The results indicated that: (i) Kerbside lanes between 3.0 metres and 3.7 metres should be avoided. Cars allowed minimal clearance when overtaking cyclists in these lanes; (ii) Kerbside lanes wider than 4.2 metres should be avoided if they are to be used for significant kerbside parking (A).
Samenvatting