Velo-city Falco Lecture Prize 2000

Introduction Velo-city Falco Lecture Prize

Jaana Salo, City of Espoo, Finland First Prize: Conditions Relating To Cycling and Planning Parking Facilities For Bicycles Perhaps the two most essential factors affecting cycling are traffic safety together with climate and weather conditions. If the traffic environment is dangerous, parking arrangements seem secondary. Would it even be right to use tempting parking facilities to increase the number of cyclists in such circumstances? Improving traffic safety in one way or another is the first goal. Some cyclists do well in the middle of car traffic no matter how heavy it is, but this cannot be expected from, or recommended to, the whole of the population. For the sporty or 'reckless’ cyclist, the lack of parking possibilities is no problem either. You can always find a pole or a post that is visible to others and enables you to lock and leave your bicycle for a short while. But as the traffic environment becomes safer, the number of cyclists increases and this kind of unauthorised parking poses a problem. Bicycles which are parked carelessly get in the way of pedestrians, make the work of service and maintenance traffic difficult, and are not a very pretty sight. Well planned and large-scale bicycle parking becomes necessary when the worst traffic safety problems are solved. In addition to serving cyclists needs, parking enhances the image and visibility of cycling. Cycling will gain more credibility as a part of the traffic system. In areas outside the city centres, traffic safety is often already at a level that makes it possible to develop bicycle parking in many different ways. But in urban centres too, planning of cycle parking must be started in good time, together with other projects related to improving cycling conditions. Otherwise lack of space, for example, might become a problem later, and planning the parking will not be able to be carried out when it is needed.

Michael Groll, Push Bikes, UK Second Prize Winning Paper “There’s nowhere to leave my bike at work ” – a statement like this indicates a barrier to using the bicycle, but how valid a reason is it? There are various obstacles which may discourage people from cycling such as speed and volume of traffic, length of journey, difficulties carrying luggage and lack of cycle paths or lanes. When these are taken into account, it is clear that the availability and standard of cycle parking is only one of a number of factors that may influence the decision to cycle. However we need to examine how important a factor it is. Furthermore, is there any relationship between the purpose of a journey e.g. shopping, and the need for cycle parking? Does the type of cycle parking on offer at a certain destination, and at stopping points during a journey, have any influence on someone making the decision to cycle? A local case-study will concentrate on the Bike & Ride journey. This paper will examine the relevance of cycle parking in creating an environment that encourages cycling.

Annie-Claude Sebban, Institute d'Amenagement Regional, France Third Prize Winning Paper The popularity of cycling has increased very considerably in France during the past five years. This rise is due to many different factors: the Paris public transport strike (1995), the Air Law (1996) relating to quality, Urban Transport Masterplans (PDU). More generally, it also relates to several urban, socio-psychological and economic trends such as; heightened respect for the environment, unemployment and financial problems, the changing image of the bicycle, air pollution, traffic congestion, noise and city planning problems. Furthermore, cycling facilities were built, including the construction of bike paths, the opening of bus lanes to cyclists, greenways, and cycle parking. In general, it is difficult to assess the impact of such facilities on the growth of cycling. To understand how bicycle facilities are used is very important information for any local authority wanting to promote the use of bicycles. Not only it does prove that bikes are a worthwhile investment for them, but well-used bike parking facilities can also justify further resources being spent on a bike policy for a local authority. Therefore, the following questions can be asked about cycle parking: what does a good quality cycle parking facility offer? What criteria should be chosen to judge them? Moreover, can it be said that having good quality cycle parking facilities will generate growth in the use of bicycles? Moreover, what methodological tools could be created to measure this potential influence on cycling?