Workshop SP 5, Wednesday 21 June, 16.00 - 17.30

Land use and bicycle network planning

Michael Mac Aree, Senior Executive Planner, Dublin Transportation Office, Ireland Steve Margolis, Senior Executive Planner, Dublin Corporation   Integrating the Urban cycle network with local centres; Cycle route through Ranelagh village. This paper examines the relationship between the development of a strategic cycle route and the needs of a local urban village. The land use pattern of Dublin is such that there are a number of small urban villages located along the main radial routes leading to the City Centre. One of these villages is Ranelagh which is located on the Ranelagh Cycle Route linking Dublin's largest University to the City Centre. As part of the Dublin Transport Initiative adopted by Government in 1995, a network of cycle routes is being developed in order to increase commuter travel by bicycle. Some of the routes selected follow the main radial routes and run through these urban villages. The Ranelagh cycle route had to be implemented within certain physical constraints imposed by traffic movement and land use requirements. These placed restrictions on the design and affected the operation of the cycle route. The development of strategic cycle routes is only the first phase in a longer term process to provide for sustainable transport solutions, not just for the commuter. The needs of the cycle route as it passes through the urban village become multifunctional. There is a need to provide for this range of functions. It is evident at this stage that while the route has been provided it is essential to monitor its use. It is believed that the solution currently in place can and will be improved over time. As policies and attitudes change the ability to develop more ideal solutions that give greater protection to the cyclist can and will be developed.  The changing transportation and land use policies in the Dublin Region will result in increasing pressure to develop alternatives to the private car and an increase in demand for local trips by bicycle.

Juliane Krause, Plan & Rat, büro Für kommunale Planung und Beratung, Germany Concepts of urban development to secure and promote bicyle use Cities of short and secure distances is an important vision in the discussion of sustainability. Cycling as a sustainable mode of transport is able to contribute significantly to reduce the inner city traffic volume and to change the modal split, mainly in big and bicycle-friendly cities. Therefore town and regional planning should be based on proximity with distances within bicyle range. In consideration of the change of lifestyles and the influence of modern telematics it is uncertain whether we can go back to "proximity". What are the conditions of settlement development traffic and transportation and how do our settlement structures correspond to the mobility patterns of certain user groups? Mainly the daily trips of all persons, the needs of women and children should be taken in consideration. What are the strategies to improve land use planning and urban planning? That means compact and mixed land use- urban settlement featuring integration of residence 1 & hopping 1 work place, recreation; attractive and safe cycle network, changing the streets back to their social function How to promote bicycle usage by public awareness and participation? That means continual inclusion of all groups in the planning process. Concepts of urban settlement and bicycle planning as an integral part of mainstream planning processes and examples will be present.