according to a report done for TFL:
a number of recommendations for the type of conditions needed to create a world class cycle city.
They were as follows:
1. There is strong, clear political and technical pro-cycling leadership which is supported through all parts of the lead organisation.
2. Cycling is considered an entirely legitimate, desirable, everyday, ‘grown up’ mode of transport, worthy of investment, even if current cycling levels are comparatively low.
3. Increasing cycle mode share is part of an integrated approach to decreasing car mode share. There is no intended overall abstraction from walking and public transport; and improving cycle safety and convenience is not intended to
diminish pedestrian safety and convenience.
4. Loss of traffic capacity or parking to create better cycling facilities, while often a
considerable challenge, is not a veto on such action.
5. There is dedicated, fit-for-purpose space for cycling, generally free of intrusion by heavy and fast motor vehicle traffic. In cities where the aim is to grow cycling rapidly, simple, cheap and effective means of securing this space have
been used as first steps, with more permanent solutions following in due course.
6. There is clarity about the overall cycling network (including planned future development), with connectedness, continuity, directness and legibility all being key attributes.
7. There is no differential cycle route branding, simply three principal types of cycle facility that make up well-planned and designed cycle networks:
a. Paths/tracks/lanes on busier streets which provide a degree of separation from motor vehicles that is appropriate to motor traffic flows/speeds and the demand for cycling.
b. Quiet streets/’bicycle streets’ with 30kph/20mph or lower speed limits and
often restrictions on motor vehicle access, particularly for through movements.
c. Cycleways/‘greenways’ away from the main highway (e.g. bicycle-only streets, paths in parks and along old railway lines and canals), but still well connected to the rest of the network at frequent intervals.
8. There is clear, widely-accepted and routinely-used guidance on the design of cycling infrastructure.
9. The frequency of occasions when cyclists need to give way or stop is minimised. This means that people cycling are able to make steady progress at a comfortable speed.
10. At least subjectively, where the cycle mode share is greater, the driving culture (and indeed city culture generally) is more respectful of the needs of cyclists. Local traffic laws often play a part in this.
11. Making better provision for cycling, even in the most well-cycled cities, is an ongoing challenge; with growth in cycling, and of city populations as a whole, requiring clear forward planning.
How does Edinburgh rate?
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