Sunday, 9 December 2012

Sharing the road or segregated cycle paths? Well, it is both!




I recently attended a Cycle Nation conference in Bristol and during this conference I sensed a historic divide between “two camps”. On one side, you have those who love to see traffic-free cycle paths being implemented in the UK everywhere (“segregated”) and on the other side, there is a group that strongly prefers “share the road”-models. There is a sense in the UK cycling world that a choice is needed between these two models, but by this article I want to demonstrate that the successful cycling model of The Netherlands is really a mix of both!

Generally, you’ll find segregated cycle paths alongside busier roads. These are generally of a high quality, designed to keep even racing cyclists going at a reasonable speed. This means a smooth surface, no tight corners, priority at side road crossings and no sudden endings like we see so often in the UK. Where there are no cycle paths (and yes, there are many Dutch roads without cycle paths!) severe traffic-calming has been put in place to ensure cyclists have just an enjoyable experience as like they were cycling traffic-free.


To demonstrate this Dutch dual approach, I asked my retired dad to take some pictures of his weekly 6 km (3.7 miles) ride between two suburban towns just south of Amsterdam. His ride starts in a housing estate in my old hometown Uithoorn and ends at the leisure centre in Aalsmeer, where my dad normally plunges in the pool for a well-deserved swim. 

On the map you'll find on-road route sections marked in blue and traffic-free "segregated" route sections in green. Note there are various routes available, like a southern scenic route via a quiet country lane. This route is nearly entirely on-road and is marked with a dotted line. In this article we limit ourselves to the most direct route; the route a commuting cyclist would take. Note though that many Dutch cyclists would opt for the longer on-road route if they were cycling for leisure, as it takes them away from traffic noises. This example also shows how distinguished Dutch cyclists are; they use different routes for different types of cycling. UK cyclists are not different in that way, but they have generally hardly a choice!


Looking at the first picture of the "commute route", you’ll see the homes and the paved roads which still look much the same as when I grew up in the 1980s. Since then, there have been some significant on-road changes though to keep cycling fun and enjoyable. A 30 km/h (20mph) speed limit is now in force for the whole area, enforced by high speed bumps at every junction.


The busier cross-road junction on my way to school has been replaced by a roundabout, with “priority for cyclists” cycle path crossings all the way around the roundabout. Immediately beyond the roundabout, the cycle paths end and the “sharing the road” model in a 20 mph speed limit environment continues. This is a great example of the Dutch mix of “shared road” and “segregated”; in places where cyclists need further protection, the traffic-free cycle paths immediately kick in, where the risks are lower, share the road lay-outs are used.


Cycling is easy in another residential street where a 20 mph speed limit is in force. Again, speed bumps have been put in place, despite the fact that this road generally only gets used by those who live here.  At the end of this road, my dad takes a short-cut away from the residential area, which has been here since the estate was built; a wide well-lit cycle path with segregated space for pedestrians. 

Those with eye for detail will spot the sign showing the end of the 30km/h (20 mph) speed limit along this path, put in place for mopeds. Dutch road designers still haven’t found the dream solution for moped road users. Although the speed limit for mopeds is now officially reduced to 20 mph on this type of path (see article comment), signs like this are still around; this detail shows that not all is good and green in The Netherlands…


The next section of our route will especially alarm fans of Sustrans cycle paths on dismantled railway lines. Via a traffic-free zig-zag, my dad now cycles into a cycle path tunnel parallel to a bus route, both on the course of a dismantled railway line. In a space of about 16 m wide, the Dutch have managed to squeeze in a dual lane bus route with various stops and a wide cycle path. 

This might be a far cry from the traditional English “greenway” railway paths, but this Dutch railway cycle path scores high in terms of social safety. It is extremely well lit and the high frequency of buses makes that women happily use this cycle route in the dark. This factor of social safety gets often overlooked in the UK when designing cycle paths! Slightly over the top are the traffic lights and barriers at every crossing of the bus route; money spent on this could well get used for cycling infrastructure in the UK!


Further west, the cycle path naturally joins a cycle path alongside a busy main road. This picture shows where this cycle path crosses a side road. This side road used to be a quiet country lane when I was young and a cycle path crossing with priority for cyclists used to be sufficient. Since then, this area has been increasingly taken over by the Dutch greenhouse industry, so, to secure a safe crossing for cyclists amidst increasing traffic, these lights have been installed. Note one press on a button is enough to cross the entire side road!


Further west, my dad makes his way to a very interesting junction. The N201/N231 main road junction at the east end of Aalsmeer town handles 50.000-60.000 vehicles per day and is only a stone’s throw away from the biggest flower auction of the world. The vast majority of flowers and plants sold worldwide are hauled by a lorry taking this junction. In the UK, this junction would have been a multi-lane roundabout, but as such a roundabout wouldn’t provide safe crossings for cyclists, this kind of junction in The Netherlands is managed by traffic lights. 


The 6 minute sequence allows every side of the junction a green light for about a minute (motorised demand monitored by surface sensors) and one of these minutes is reserved for cyclists! As you can see in the pictures, cyclists just have to cue as motorists to wait for their go and pressing the button is required, but once the green light appears, cyclists can take the full junction in total safety!
Another cycle path away from this main junction takes us now south, where another cycle path “short-cut” takes us into another housing estate. This is where my dad’s cycle journey becomes on-road again and it is therefore greatly important that you notice the 30 km/h (20mph) speed limit signs. 

Again, this shows how well the Dutch road system caters for cyclists. The segregated cycle path route ends, but there is immediately a 20mph speed limit kicking in to protect cyclists on their further on-road journey. No further speed limit enforcement is in place in this housing estate, but another continental “traffic calmer” here is the “traffic from the right goes first”-rule. There are many side roads on this road and in contradiction of what a UK-road user might think, “minor road”-users from the right go first here, making it essential to reduce speeds to be able to stop for this side traffic.


The journey ends on a slightly busier road in this Aalsmeer housing estate. Wide cycle lanes are in place here and those with eye for detail will notice how these cycle lanes are continuous at the zebra crossing and the island in the center of the road. In the UK, cycle lanes always stop at this point, leading to potential hazardous situations with cars pushing into  the narrow lane between the island and a potentially squeezed cyclist. This picture, with the red car turning right, also explains something else. In The Netherlands, this type of cycle lanes is wide spread and Dutch drivers learn in their driving lessons always to look in their mirrors and then to look over their shoulders to check for cyclists when turning across this type of cycle lane; the cyclist straight on should go first! This driver's attitude is light years away from the attitude of a typical UK driver. He/she probably wouldn't even notice the cycle lane and definitely wouldn't look so extensively for cyclists before turning. This is an important reason why cycle lanes alongside two lanes of traffic like pictured here often don't work in the current UK conditions. 


This last remark is an important issue when trying to implement Dutch cycling infrastructure solutions to the UK. The current Dutch cycling infrastructure and road calming are a result of a 40 year evolution and Dutch people are completely accustomed to it. British people have been brainwashed by 5 decades of motorised priority and generally just don't care about cyclists. This means that many Dutch concepts will need to be adjusted to the UK situation and carefully introduced. Authorities must become much more aware of the need for a change of driver's behaviours with a serious, serious reduction of speed on many, many roads. Another issue is that most Dutch housing estates are built post WWII and very spacious, whilst many English urban areas are dating from the Victorian age and very densely built, not to mention its more hilly nature. This makes the task ahead challenging, but not impossible. 


Whatever the way,  it will always be a combination of “sharing the road” and “segregated” models. It can never be one or the other, just like in The Netherlands. Some positive notes from a UK-perspective; Bikeability is a great tool to make more people comfortable with on-road cycling and UK-style “Sheffield” bike stands replace more and more classic Dutch bike stands as in this picture at the Aalsmeer leisure centre; my dad will have to get used to them. For now; thanks for the pictures dad; have a good swim and enjoy the ride back!  


What about getting on your bicycle yourself with one of my "Cycling Dutchman" guidebooks?


Cycling in  Amsterdam and The Netherlands - The very best routes in the cyclist's paradise makes you travel beyond Dutch cliches like clogs, windmills and the Amsterdam red light district, allowing you to truly explore the lowlands. The book features 1064 kms of routes and has special chapters explaining the unique Dutch cycling-minded traffic rules and its cycle route signage systems; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see also http://www.cyclinginholland.com.

The London - Land's End Cycle Route Book is designed for those who LOVE cycling, but don't like traffic. The book takes you onto the most beautiful cycle routes of southern England, including the Camel Trail, Devon Coast to Coast Route, Bristol and Bath Railway path, Thames Valley route and many more! What makes the book unique is that the route is completely continuous, including detailed directions and local knowledge all the way. Get inspired; choose your favourite route sections or go for a full summer holiday adventure; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see http://www.london-landsendcycleroutebook.com.

Other popular Cycling Dutchman blog articles:

Explaining Dutch cycling infrastructure:



Dutch bike rides and Dutch cycling culture:

The 12 best bike rides of The Netherlands

Dutch style bike rides in the United Kingdom:
Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels: Cities fit for Cycling campaign, cycle network, , cycling infrastructure, , Integrated Cycle Plan, segregated paths, share the road, speeding,

Sunday, 4 November 2012

The power of cycling tourism: London-Land's End by bicycle!

Please note this article is out of date. The fund-raising as discussed in the article is not required any more. The book was published June 2013 and the Blog Article of June 2013 features all essential information about the book. We decided to keep this article on-line, as it provides a great overview of the development work we have been doing over the years. It shows how a long-term vision (rare in Britain!) really can start something new. We have now published two successful cycling guidebooks ourselves and receive great feedback from its users. 


You may well be aware of the rising popularity of cycling in Britain. The best cycle racers of the world are from the UK these days, inspiring more and more people to start riding for fun! This results in a higher demand for high-quality cycle routes, most notably for leisure. The creation of the National Cycle Network was one great step forward, but being pioneers in the cycling industry, at my EOS Cycling Holidays we now wish to take the next step.


Using the current available infrastructure, we want to create an attractive long-distance cycle route in southern England, with its own clear identity; welcome to our London-Land’s End by bicycle project! We intend to publish a high quality guidebook with the best cycle routes of southern England, together forming a continuous traffic-calmed leisure cycle route from London to Land’s End. The book will be especially for "new cyclists", encouraging families with teenage children and couples to take up cycling together. 

The book will feature a continuous route description, full mapping, visitor information and listings of B&Bs, campsites, budget accommodations and bike repair shops. The book comes with a website featuring live route-updates, social media and naturally the book and GPS-tracks for sale. By including links from Dover and Harwich to London and from mid-Devon south to Plymouth, we also intend to open up the route to international cycling tourists. We intend to promote the route locally, involving local establishments, cycling groups and authorities. 

So beyond the added value of cycling fun, what would such a publication bring to local economies? Well, a condensed Dutch-language version with the same route was published by us spring 2011. Although the book only sells 350 copies per year (figures for both 2011 and 2012 were identical), the economic value of cycling holidays made as a result of this book is much greater. Based on figures of multiple accommodation providers in combination with feedback to the author, it is estimated that about a third of the Dutch-language book buyers actually embarked on a journey, which translates to about 116 cycling parties per year, a total number of about 200 people. 

We did a survey in 2010 at the Amsterdam Cycling Holiday Fair, asking the audience of this fair about their cycling holidays. Interestingly, this survey clearly identified two major dedicated groups. About 50% preferred B&B accommodation and does cycling holidays of up to 10 days duration whilst the other 50% preferred camping and does cycling holidays of up to 14 days. If we use this information to label the behaviour of those 200 Dutch people per year who cycle our route to Land's End, we are up to find some amazing figures.


B&B accommodation in the UK costs roughly £35 per person per night, so with 100 people choosing for B&B accommodation for 9 nights, this is a boost to the local economy of £31,500 per year. B&B cyclists tend to spend at least another £30 per person per day on lunches, dinner and additional food and drink purchases, topping up their total expenditure with another £30,000 to about £60,000 per year. 

Using the same calculation method for 100 camping cyclists, with a campsite generally charging £8 per person per night for 13 nights, the boost to the local economy of accommodation charges is about £10,400 per year. This budget-group tends to spend less on their meals, often cooking themselves or limiting their purchases to take aways. On average, this group will still spend about £15 per person per day on essentials, bringing a further expenditure of £19,500 to a total of about £30,000 per year.   

Our survey at the 2010 Amsterdam Cycling Holiday Fair also asked cyclists what else they like to do whilst touring by bike. The vast majority of respondents emphasised their enjoyment of the great outdoors, being "close to nature", as the Dutch call it. 35% also indicated enjoying sightseeing on the way, paying a visit to a museum or attraction every two days or so. With a non-ambitious figure of 3 venue visits per holiday and an average entry cost of £8.50 per person per venue, this adds up to another £5,000 of revenue.


So, just by selling 350 guidebooks per year, this project brings £95,000 annually to Britain. Note this is not including charges paid to Stenaline for the return night crossing Hook of Holland-Harwich and to First Great Western for the return journey from the West Country to Harwich. If you include these expenditures (about £250 per head, £50,000 total), the total annual boost to the economy as a result of this guidebook is £145,000!


In August 2011, we published our first guidebook in English. This book about cycling in The Netherlands in the same format (full route description, good maps, reliable visitor information and accommodation listings), has sold 800 copies during its first year, easily doubling the sales figures of the Dutch-language guide, due to its wider audience of English native speakers. With minimal promotion, 20% of these sales were achieved via the designated website with nearly 25% of orders coming from overseas. We expect a similar guide about cycling in England in English would achieve a similar figure of sales. Just as with the Dutch language book about England, if only a third of these potential London-Land's End book buyers were serious about doing (parts of) the route, the value per year to the local economy would be at least the same. (please note: this publication is out of print since September 2015 and has been replaced by the book "Cycling in Amsterdam and The Netherlands, the second edition of this book project)

You might have noticed though that author and publisher of the guidebooks do actually don't receive anything of this money. Lots of research goes into the development of these guidebooks. To be able to fit in over 750 miles of routes in 164 pages in a clear, compact, but also attractive way with lots of photography, there is a high demand to artwork and cartography requirements in comparison to other publications. Also, as retail prices for books are at an all time low, margins for profit as a result of book sales are minimal. This is why we are  currently facing a shortfall of £3000 in the production costs of the new book.   

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll ask 500 services providers on the route (which will be listed in the book at no charge) for voluntarily contributions, just as organisations that have an interest in the publication of this book. We also call for help from cycling enthusiasts who'd like to see this book being published. We respect the tough times we are all in, so such a donation could be as small as £10. On donations of £40 or more you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the book once it is published. By making a donation you’ll achieve official “friend” status. Friends will keep being informed about the progress of the project and will be the first to hear the latest news about the book and/or route. Your help is much appreciated!

Please note again: the London-Land's End book was published June 2013 and the fund-raising appeal has been closed. The Blog Article of June 2013 features all essential information about the book! See also below:

 What about going for a traffic-calmed cycling holiday with one of my "Cycling Dutchman" guidebooks?
The London - Land's End Cycle Route Book is designed for those who LOVE cycling, but don't like traffic. The book takes you onto the most beautiful cycle routes of southern England, including the Camel Trail, Devon Coast to Coast Route, Bristol and Bath Railway path, Thames Valley route and many more! What makes the book unique is that the route is completely continuous, including detailed directions and local knowledge all the way. Get inspired; choose your favourite route sections or go for a full summer holiday adventure; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see http://www.london-landsendcycleroutebook.com.

Cycling in  Amsterdam and The Netherlands - The very best routes in the cyclist's paradise makes you travel beyond Dutch cliches like clogs, windmills and the Amsterdam red light district, allowing you to truly explore the lowlands. The book features 1064 kms of routes and has special chapters explaining the unique Dutch cycling-minded traffic rules and its cycle route signage systems; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see also http://www.cyclinginholland.com.

Other popular Cycling Dutchman blog articles:

Explaining Dutch cycling infrastructure:




Dutch bike rides and Dutch cycling culture:

The 12 best bike rides of The Netherlands

Dutch style bike rides in the United Kingdom:
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , Cycling holiday fair, , , , england, EOS Cycling Holidays, , London-Land's End

Saturday, 6 October 2012

The Power of Bikeability

Most people in Britain will have done some kind of "Cycling Proficiency" training in their childhood, as shown in this picture on the right from the 1950s. This article is about "Bikeability", its 21st century equivalent, designed to enable children to cycle on "today's roads", as the official website explains it. I've been involved with Bikeability as instructor since 2009.
In the first place, Bikeability confirmed my own ideas on how to keep myself safe as a cyclist. Being from The Netherlands, I grew up in a society where you don't have to worry so much for your safety as a cyclist, as cycling-friendly road-lay outs and a mind boggling network of traffic-free routes keep cyclists protected all the time. As soon as I crossed borders into other countries, I had to learn to adapt to often hostile cycling conditions and I developed various skills and methods to keep myself safe. After years of cycling all over the world, Bikeability finally confirmed I was right in using these methods. It also made me even more aware of hazards on the road. If it was only for this, I'd like to thank the team who developed Bikeability.


Bikeability is the National Standard for cycle training in Britain,originally developed by the CTC in partnership with many national organisations and approved by the Department for Transport. It was introduced in 2004 and is now delivered on a large scale at primary schools in various regions of Britain, depending on whether the local authority is supporting the scheme. It consists of thee levels; Level 1 is the traffic-free "bike control"-element (the old "Cycling Proficiency"), Level 2 teaches to cycle on quiet to medium traffic intensity roads (for 9-12 year olds) and Level 3 enables people to cycle on busier roads (for anyone aged 12 or up).


I mostly work as Bikeability instructor in Devon, a very keen cycling county, every year on the itinerary of the Tour of Britain (see picture on right with some of my own Bikeability trainees at a stage start). In Devon, over 6000 children complete the Bikeability Level 2 annually. The instructors co-operative Westcountry Cycle Training (of which I was a founding member and of which I am one of the directors) delivers about 25% of this bulk. Myself, I teach 300-400 children a year.


What Bikeability makes such a good scheme is that it takes many children for the very first time out on their bikes on the public road. When taught well, it gradually introduces them to traffic, up to a level that they are confident enough to make on-road journeys independently themselves. As British children are told since "toddler-hood" that roads are dangerous, being out on the road is for many a big step. Good coaching is essential to move children away from the habit to jump on the pavement for any car they see to a habit of taking control of traffic situations and making drivers do what is essential for the rider's own safety.


This is possibly the biggest strength of the Bikeability scheme; the safety of the cyclist is central! Misconceptions developed since the motorised 1950s that "cyclists should move out of the way for motorists" are completely abandoned, so Bikeability teaches to take as much road space as required to stay safe and confirms the cyclist's right to be on the road. In a way, it is a miracle Bikeability came around and that it is now officially adopted as the way of how you should cycle when being on the road!


The good thing is that the skills of Bikeability build up in difficulty throughout the course. By the time we expose children to some serious traffic, the children know exactly how to deal with its hazards and indeed, to take control over the situation. Drivers are often surprised by that and, most of the time, are able to adapt well to these situations with young knowledgeable cyclists on the road. The skills of Bikeability indeed work!


Or not? It still very much depends on where we teach whether the Bikeability cycling style gets fully accepted by motorists. I know schools in notorious "black spots" where roads are completely taken over by motorised traffic and where it is nearly impossible to teach, due to a large number of impatient drivers with egocentric "top gear" driving behaviours. It always blows my mind that even 12 children in yellow vests and two instructors in ditto orange can't make people think. It is in these situations we have to step out on the road as instructors to protect our trainees and hopefully, also to teach these silly drivers a lesson.




A great addition since 2012 has been the delivery of Bikeability Level 3 for children in secondary education. Many children love it to see us back after a year or two to get further trained for their day-to-day journeys. We help the teenagers to plan their routes and to navigate those busy intersections or shorter sections of main road for which there is no alternative. With Westcountry Cycle Training, we are now at such a participation level that 20% of children who do Level 2, also do Level 3 with us. I always get a smile on my face if I see a former trainee cycling somewhere, doing everything right!

So, what do trainees and their parents think of Bikeability? According to a survey by Devon County Council 51.5% rated the quality of the course as "very high" and another 44.3% as "high". 80% of respondents rated the cycling ability and safety of children "high" or "very high" and 93% of parents say they will ride more as family now that their child has completed Bikeability. Another great outcome is that 46.4% cycles one day per week or more to school after completing the course, in comparison to only 10.3% before doing Bikeability.

Although these figures definitely show the power of Bikeability, we must not get too excited by this result. In the same survey it is clear that only 8.5% commits to cycle four or five days per week to school after completing Bikeability and 53.7 % insists never to consider such a journey. In a similar survey, various schools declared that Bikeability won't influence levels of cycling to schools. Open comments as "speed is a problem on roads near our school", "area without safe routes to school" or "school on busy road, so few children cycle", "barriers; busy roads" clearly indicate that although Bikeability is the first important step to a more cycling orientated society, dedicated cycling infrastructure as proposed by the Times Cities Fit for Cycling Campaign, the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group and the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain is needed too! To be able to cycle, you literally need two wheels! 

What about going for a traffic-calmed cycling holiday with one of my "Cycling Dutchman" guidebooks?
Cycling in  Amsterdam and The Netherlands - The very best routes in the cyclist's paradise makes you travel beyond Dutch cliches like clogs, windmills and the Amsterdam red light district, allowing you to truly explore the lowlands. The book features 1064 kms of routes and has special chapters explaining the unique Dutch cycling-minded traffic rules and its cycle route signage systems; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see also http://www.cyclinginholland.com.

The London - Land's End Cycle Route Book is designed for those who LOVE cycling, but don't like traffic. The book takes you onto the most beautiful cycle routes of southern England, including the Camel Trail, Devon Coast to Coast Route, Bristol and Bath Railway path, Thames Valley route and many more! What makes the book unique is that the route is completely continuous, including detailed directions and local knowledge all the way. Get inspired; choose your favourite route sections or go for a full summer holiday adventure; 164 pages, colour, wiro bound, fits in standard handlebar bag, see http://www.london-landsendcycleroutebook.com.

Other popular Cycling Dutchman blog articles:

Explaining Dutch cycling infrastructure:




Dutch bike rides and Dutch cycling culture:

The 12 best bike rides of The Netherlands

Dutch style bike rides in the United Kingdom:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: bikeability, Cities fit for Cycling campaign, cycle training, , cycling infrastructure, england, share the road, speeding, Westcountry Cycle Training
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