Ministry of Transport and Public Works

Evaluation of the Delft Bicycle Network Plan

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EFFECTS OF THE DELFT DICYCLE NETWORK PLAN - Effects on bicycle travel experience

An objective of the bicycle network plan is to enhance perceived comfort and safety of cycling. Panel members were asked therefore about their subjective experience with cycling after the measures were taken. Respondents' answers were classified into three aspects; comfort en route, continuity and safety.
Generally it is found that cyclists' opinion on the measures introduced does not differ between those living in the study area and control are respectively. Only 20 per cent of the cyclists perceived a marked improvement between 1982 and 1985. The remaining 80 per cent experinced a slight or no improvement to cycling conditions. Aspects like 'surface quality' and 'directness' proved to improve most as perceived by the cyclists: 30 per cent of them noticed a significant improvement. These appeared to be the most important factors of cyclists' route choice as well! Traffic safety on the other hand was hardly perceived as being improved.
From the equal and stable scores in both areas, it is concluded that the measures taken affected the experienced conditions only marginally.

In contrast with these results 40 per cent of the people living in Tanthof perceived a significant improvement in cycling comfort. This is to be understood in view of the large-scale facilities that were built here, i.e. two bicycle tunnels, long seperate bicycle routes with asphalt paving, new direkt links to the town centre, etc.

The conclusions from these findings is that only significant improvements in the cyclists' perception of comfort and safety will be achieved if radical and large-scale measures are taken.