Spicycles Mid Term

Spicycles in Munich

Meeting in progress

The Spicycles Team met at June 11, 2007 at the occasion of the 2007 Velo-City conference in Munich to hold its Mid Term Seminar. In this Newsletter Spicycles reports the results of the Mid Term Seminar as well as the progress the team made on: ƒ Bike-sharing ƒ Communication and Awareness Raising ƒ Planning for Cycling ƒ Building Local Partnerships ƒ The Benchmarking

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SPICYCLES Mid-term seminar, Munich 11 June 2007 The Mid Term seminar was opened by two host speakers. Bernd Decker of the ‘Executive Agency for competitiveness and innovation’ Hans van Vliet, Shimano’s Corporate Communication Officer Bernd Decker spoke on what is new in the IEE program, which is the Community’s instrument to overcome the non-technological barriers to energy efficiency and greater use of new and renewable energy sources in Europe.

Top: The new executive agency’s logo Left: Bernd Decker

He outlined that in spring 2006 the European Council called for new European energy policy: Integrated energy and climate change package based on the energy efficiency Action Plan. The targets were supported by Member States at the Spring 2007 European Council He detailed the renewed policy ‘Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP): ƒ The IEE II programme runs from 2007-13 ƒ Annual work programmes are issued each year to define specific priorities and actions This year: applications for funding are submitted following the 2007 work programme and call for proposals

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Hans van Vliet, Shimano’s Corporate Communication Officer addressed the seminar from the point of view of the industry. He memorized how he got introduced in the world of cycling advocacy only some years ago through Velo Mondial and how he found his path to the world of cycling projects and conferences. Shimano sponsored Velo.Info and is now active in promoting Velo-City. He showed himself as an ardent promoter of cycling for many purposes and he works hard to get the rest of the industry involved as well. He recognizes cities and their representatives as major players and pursues working with them.

Top: Shimano Logo Left: Hans van Vliet

Bike Sharing Public Bicycles / Bike Sharing now exists in more than 10 European countries, in more than 30 European cities, with several technological systems. More cities recognize the advantages of a bike sharing system. It gives easy and fast access (24/7), has an automated system for renting and returning the bike, allows for one way cycling only, and the bikes have a distinctive design. But it has more benefits: It is highly flexible, allows for inter-modal travelling and does not incur expenditures for maintenance. There are some aspects one should take care of. The technology for pick-up and drop-off at the location should be flexible and be based on racks. The technique for access should be organized with smart card, mobile phone or deposit and there is a choice between with or without identification (personalised vs. anonymous). The payment can be free of charge or “pay as you go” and the financing of the operating service can be public or private.

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Bike Sharing

Bike Sharing

Ploiesti – project actions • Awareness raising for the idea of bike sharing • Design of a bike-sharing scheme: – 400 users, 50 bikes, 6 cycle stations – Studying potential cycling trips – Using traffic study – Studying Experiences and know-how of partners – Possibilities of integration into PT • Promotion of that scheme to potential users (companies, local government institutions, students)

Rome – project actions Feasibility study (Market potential, transport study) • Identification of optimal area • Investigation for technologies fleet with traditional or electric bicycles • Defining of scenarios of operations and funding • Preparation of implementing bike sharing in Rome •

Berlin – project actions: Goteborg – project actions • To market the bike sharing system to the companies within the Lundby Optimization of the Call a Bike system district • Profiles of thefts • Ensure the implementation of the • enlarge the group of users (new system target groups e.g. hotels, • Evaluation of the pilot companies) - easy to use, high reliability • Improvement of access / • Opening for private Users integration into Location Based • Preparation for a successful Roll-out services of the system to the whole inner city • Integration of bike-sharing systems into PT

Further needs for bike sharing are to address all possible target groups, to create a frame for competition and entrepreneurship, to develop options for the Integration into PT (e.g. access via same medium, combined pricing strategies etc.).

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Communication and Awareness Raising The Communication and Awareness Raising activities of Spicycles aim at encouraging people to use bicycles for their trip by improving information about cycling, communicating through different marketing campaigns, targeting an audience as broad as possible. The public will be taken through stages of behavioural change: Awareness raising ÆInfluencing attitudes Æ Change in behaviour. This will be done through defining and & implementing communications strategies and awareness raising methods. Following you will find some backgrounds, strategies and implementation s in the various Spicycles cities on Communication and Awareness. Strategies Barcelona • Campaigns with main focus on educational centres • Information on existing infrastructures & facilities for cyclists • Support activities by Cycling Associations and Stakeholders • Awareness raising of the benefits from cycling among local departments and governmental authorities Implementation • School campaign, “Move by bike” • Bike parking facilities at schools • “Bike Week” with complementary activities • Promotion of Cycle Registration Progress & Results • 12 schools and 876 students Demonstrations – workshops – street rides • Huge participation at the “Bike Week”

Background Berlin • Conflicts between bicycles & drivers – A risky & aggressive behaviour – Call for accidents. • Several different activities and actors with no coordination. Strategies • Use different media (cinema, radio trails, events, etc.) • The financial plan should be based on sponsoring • An Advisory Council with members from many different organisations is planned Implementation • Tender and selection of a subcontractor • Development of the campaign and a plan for sponsoring • Implementation of the campaign

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Communication and Awareness Raising Background Bucharest • Cycling has not been considered as a potential solution for the traffic problem • Earlier bicycle activities has had a low impact: – Isolated activities – Designed by different associations – No defined objectives Strategies A bike usage study: • The citizens opinion regarding the current status of the infrastructure. • Outline a profile about the current bike users. • Identify the barriers & incentives of bike usage. Communication campaigns: • Awareness campaign • On-street communication campaign Implementation • Accomplish a study about bicycle users needs • The study will be the base for developing the communication campaign. • A few projects with focus on infrastructure development will be set up by the municipality

Background Göteborg • Göteborg has a well developed cycling infrastructure but it is not being used to a satisfactory extent Æ The share of cyclists has not increased • A sustainable communication strategy is needed Strategies Focus on: • Awareness raising & Advantages of cycling • Change attitudes Methods: • Information on existing infrastructures • Try different communication tools • Direct communication with the Bicycles Observers (A group with 1000 cyclists) Target groups: • Private persons & Working sites Implementation Direct communication (Bicycles Observers) • Regular reporting on website • General meetings • Test-panel for the new web-based bike travel planner Raise the status & increase the knowledge & visibility • Bicycle week Cycle course for immigrant women Printed matter

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Communication and Awareness Raising

Communication and Awareness Raising

Background Ploiesti • Today - No national guidelines & programmes at: - Transport level - The interface between land-use and transports • Guidelines & programmes needs to be implemented by the local communities. Strategies Communication strategy: • A mix of dedicated channels - Press releases - Local meetings with targeted members of the public - Project leaflet - Ploiesti website - Direct mailing to organisations - On-street communication campaigns. Target groups: • Decision makers & citizens Implementation: • The Romanian version of the newsletter - printed and distributed to local actors & students • Workshop with the Mayor & high school students • The first local leaflet of the project is drafted • The project was disseminated at the launch of the “Local development strategy for 20072015”

Strategies Rome • Use internet and mass media for communication • Enhance the quality & quantity of information for cyclists on the Mobility Agency’s web site • Foster the cycling mobility by promoting and enforcing the intermodality service • Inform about safe commuting routes to school and work Strategies • Implement a procedure for updating information on cycling • Set up a shared database • Implement a new calculation module prototype • The planning and making of the information campaign will involve: – Stakeholders – Individual bikers – Bikers associations Implementation Upgrading the geographic information system layer on cycling • Collection of territorial information belonging to the former mobility agency • Integration of information on the data model of ATAC • Entry of the data concerning paths length and duration, according to the information of Municipality Printed matters Events

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Planning for Cycling Cities starting level differences with differences in topography, cycling culture, urban structure, mobility, modal share, financial possibilities. Common in the approach was that in all cities the objectives are to plan for linear infrastructures, for parking infrastructures and for policies with public transport. Studies are done on ‘Cycling lane network in correlation with PT corridors’, Transport on board, Safety conditions, Questionnaire for bike user needs, Manuals about planning, Workshops with local authorities and stakeholders, Measuring methods of trips by bike. Some temporary results have been reached on ‘Second level planning of cycling network’, on ‘Bicycle parking infrastructures planning’, ‘Public integration transport and bike sharing policies’ and on ‘Awareness about ensure appropriate financing’. Overview of actions for cycling planning in the Spicycles Cities Action for cycling Barcelona • Creation of the Office of the Bicycle • Creation of bike sharing in the city • Development cycling network • Development of a technical review/catalogue of traffic calming measures considering bicycles • Stationing and Parking of Bicycles Plan • Program against theft- “Protection of bicycles against robberies”

Action for cycling Berlin • Improve inter-modality between public transport and bicycle transport • Decrease bicycle-related accidents • Ensure appropriate financing approach • Improve bicycle network • Extend and innovate the bike sharing system

Action for cycling Bucharest • Planning cycling network by origin-destination matrix (work trips) • Studying access with bicycles to the leisure points • Analysing the parking needs (intermodal nodes, shopping centres, home) • Intercepting associations initiatives • Analysing the possibility for bike rent and share developing

Action for cycling Ploiesti • Planning of a real network without interruptions • To implement cycling facilities in the central area • To create areas with priority for cyclists • Promoting campaigns by all media channels

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Planning for cycling

Planning for cycling

Action for cycling Göteborg • Increasing the attractiveness of the Cycling network encouraging people to use the existing Cycle lanes by providing good services and facilities (air-filling stations, service-stations, information etc.) • To establish a modern cycle centre at the central station offering: bike sharing, parking, repairs, air stations, cycle information, etc.

Action for cycling Rome • Creation of the Office of the Bicycle to plan, implement and maintain infrastructures and services for cycling • Development of main and local cycling networks • Development of inter-modality bicycles – public transport by: parking in the interchanges nodes, routes to nodes, transport on board, bike sharing

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Building Local Partnerships The Objective of this activity is to involve local actors in the cycling plans of local authorities. CITY Barcelona

Cycle Master Plan achieved

date 2006

Berlin

achieved

2005

Bucharest

no CMP

Göteborg

achieved

Ploiesti

no CMP

Rome

on going

1999

The goal is to promote cycling by establishing and strengthening the collaboration with different groups such as political, commercial and social players. The work leads to developing specific actions, where partnership building is needed to create a Cycle Master Plan (CMP).

Overview Partnership in Barcelona

Barcelona Bicycle Civic Commission

Infrastructures Group

Promotion Group

Plans and develops projects which include cyclist infrastructures (parking stands, bike lanes, signalling).

Promotes bicycle use among the citizens, visitors, enterprises and institutions.

Management Group Develops projects in order to provide more bicycle services to citizens (ex:bike rental).

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Building local partnerships Overview partnership in Berlin To solve this need of partnership and consultation, the Senate Department of Urban Development (SenStadt) convened a FahrRat (Cycling Council), which is composed of officials from various city government units concerned with biking (Department of Urban Development, Department of Education, Youth and Sport, the police, traffic authorities, borough street and road construction departments), environmental and transportation interest groups such as Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (General German Bicycle Club, ADFC), Verkehrsclub Deutschland (Traffic Club of Germany, VCD) and Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (Friends of the Earth Germany, BUND), metropolitan transit companies (BVG, S-Bahn Berlin GmbH), external experts (including academics), a representative of the bicycle trade and the Senate cycling coordinator. Overview partnership in Göteborg The main goal for Göteborg is to create conditions and working methods for cycling planning already in the early stages of building- and planning phases; they are prerequisites for cycling and needed to promote cycling by fostering collaboration. There are the Internal working groups (2 meetings during 2007), the External working groups (for example with schools) and the

Building local partnerships Overview partnership in Bucharest

The collaboration with local actors involved in cycling continues and the media sector has initiated a strong campaign in favour of cycling. A session of debates was initiated and organized with representatives of the Municipality, discussing some important political actions regarding the implementation of the bicycle as a transport mode. Political and administrative support from the Municipality is gained and increased interest of local authorities for cycling projects was induced. Bucharest Municipality started the auction process for bicycles routes. Municipality of the 3rd Bucharest district initiated the first bicycle lanes near one of the most important green areas.

Overview partnership in Ploesti The emphasis of building local partnerships in Ploesti is through the involvement of the high school and university students. Important was a public debate with a large audience for the “Local development strategy for 2007-2015” at the Petroleum and Gas University where positive reactions came from the targeted audience of business community, NGO’s, policy makers and young people.

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Building local partnerships

Building local partnerships

Regional working group (2 meetings during 2007). Also there are working groups around specific actions, examples from 2007 are: Cycle centre (workshop with 8 experts from different companies ) & Bicycle highways. There was a kick-off with bicycle observers of the bicycle lights project with 100 participants. Overview partnership in Rome In 2004 the environment authority of city council established the technical round table on the inter-modality between bicycle and public transport. Issues of discussion are Signage, Free transport on board, More Shelters & Racks; alternative transport issues were

ISTITUTIONAL AUTHORITIES

CYCLISTS ASSOCIATION INFRASTRUCTURE OWNERS

discussed. Local media were involved.

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Benchmarking The objective of the benchmarking activity is to evaluate whether bicycle planning will be anchored in the partner cities’ organisations, as a result of Spicycles. Do results stick in the log run? And, how can progress be compared with other European cities and show what can be achieved. Project measurement will happen at the begin and the end of the project. The Political, organisational involvement with bicycle planning is done with the Velo.Info tool and gets its overall value expressed in bronze, silver, gold or platinum. The benchmarks are gathered on Preparation of the policy, Planning, Implementation and on Monitoring & Evaluation. The progress between start and end of Spicycles indicates the difference. This measure will also be done for other, non-partner cities. An on-line questionnaire with ‘city characteristics’ regarding bicycle performance will allow cross comparison for partner and non-partner cities. Data like Size, Existing modal split, Bicycle infrastructure (if any), bicycle/public transport, Safety and security, Policy, promotion, projects. The online tool and the questionnaire allow for cross-comparison between different cities: Spicycles partners, non-partners, categories of size, location, categories of bicycle use, existing infrastructure. It shows the city’s position and gives instant feedback of completing the questionnaire: Data for data Initial results show that front runner cities are: Barcelona, Gothenburg, Berlin; an Intermediate position is for Rome and most room for improvement is for Bucharest and Ploiesti. In general a high performance on Preparation and Planning is easier than on Implementation and Monitoring. Major points for improvement can be derived from this overview:

Preparation Barcelona

Berlin Gothenburg Rome Bucharest

-

Partnership building All elements

Planning

Implementation Monitoring & evaluation Timetable Monitoring Reporting Review Staff training All elements

All elements

All elements

All elements

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All elements All elements All elements All elements Ploiesti Some examples of reports from the Online Questionnaire: Data for Data Progress score (bronze, silver, gold)

5%

5

4%

4 3 2

3%

1

2% p. M od al sp lit

...

co m

1% 0% My city

All silver cities

Silver cities > 100.000

iti es C

C

iti es

iti es C

co m

wi th in

iti es C

p. le ve li nf ra

gi on m

y

re

10 0. 00 0 >

Al lc iti es

M

y

ci ty

0

% bicycle infrastructure of total

Modal share bicycle

Accidents cyclists 16 14 12 10 8

The online questionnaire will be made available on the website.

6 4 2 0 My city

All silver cities

Silver cities > 100.000

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Results of the Mid Term Seminar The attendants of then mid term seminar were asked tot discuss the five presented issues in smaller groups. We would like to extend our special thanks to special Tom Godefrooij, Mario Gualdi, Cristina Pou and Hermann Bluemel, who took care of the reporting. The results of the Mid Term Seminar will be studies and integrated in future document.

The following remarks were made Bike Sharing ƒ Position ‘bike sharing’ as ‘public transport’ (as opposed to private bicycles). Public transport can be provided by various transport techniques, like busses, trains, trams, and also: bicycles. Public bicycles provide ‘individual public transport’. ƒ And as a consequence: look for strong connections with other parts of the public transport system thus enabling individuals to make smooth door-to-door trips. ƒ Analyse the contribution of public bicycles to (individual) quality of life as a tool to decide on a proper formulation of performance requirements of the public bicycles system. ƒ When dealing with bike-sharing, it is essential to ensure inter-operability at least in systems working in the same country. ƒ Make sure access technology is as simple as possible and linked to other public transport systems

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ƒ ƒ

ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ

Make it accessible to residents, business and tourists therefore, clear, simple and easy access. Is the involvement of commercial businesses linked with advertising with highly aggressive marketing tied to long term contract 10-20 years, a good thing or a bad thing? Advantages: cheap for user Bad and cheap design will prove to be problematic; if vehicles are not up to scratch they will be a bad experience for riders or prove not to be serviceable Be aware of monopolisation by commuters who will use up all vehicles that will all go to end stations which then will lack space. Need to think about links between fixed stations and flexible hire processes. Keep looking abroad for interesting cycling concepts, as cities are increasingly developing new and original ways to organizing cycling services and creating new jobs. Take bike-sharing, which is particularly apt at tackling the home-work commute bottleneck by placing public bikes at PT transport nodes and stewards directing commuters to the bike stations. This Japanese experience is a successful example of how to close the “last mile” commute.

Communication and awareness raising ƒ Cycling awareness is one of the key hurdles to be addressed. In many countries it is still not perceived as a legitimate transport alternative. The problem is the lack of infrastructure and safety conditions. The question is: how to raise awareness when the basics are not even there? What to do first? Whether going for infrastructure or awareness, or both together, it is important to keep sight of the “regional” dimension, for lots of commuters travel into the city from outside. Thus, planning and communication must be coordinate with the metropolitan and regional authorities. ƒ Need to educate people early could cycling be a pre-requisite of a driving test? ƒ Change behaviour not attitudes (and hope for a behaviour change) [cognitive dissonance] ƒ (Observation :) A high percentage of female cyclists is usually going together with (and thus an indication for) a high level of bicycle use. ƒ No campaigns without understanding the problems of the target group. ƒ Analyse who are the stakeholders. ƒ Know their aims and interests. ƒ Analyse their position in the playing field (friend or enemies, decision influencing power, etc) ƒ Give information at the right time to the right person/party.

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Planning for cycling • If one cycling challenge had to be singled out has the most prominent, it has to be the actual convincing people to leave their cars and mopeds behind and take a bike. Let’s be frank: people are bad weather-conscious, are generally lazy, cannot stand helmets, hate to get to work in a sweat and feel insecure when riding a bike. Planning and regulation can take care only of some of these idiosyncrasies (e.g. helmets, safety), but for the rest a cultural shift is required, and cities must be credible in sending across the message that cycling is fun. Thus, start early on and teach children. • When planning for cycling, one should not necessarily strive to reach an ideal cycling environment, for this is possible only in certain contexts. There are ancient and convoluted urban frames that are not suitable for state-of-art cycling lanes, still cycling can be made possible if cyclists are granted the conditions to ride in co-share with motorized modes. The need for motorists’ education is great. They have to learn how to “respect” cyclists. • Need for re-education of planning and infrastructure implementers • Access to own bicycle at home is biggest bottleneck = home accessibility. Particularly with apartments • Campaign target for building companies: cycle garaging standards, public buildings as well • Don’t be afraid to give advantages to cyclists to give cycling a stronger competitive position towards other modes. Benchmarking • Contextualise cycling within a bigger picture • Quality of cyclists experience important - not size of facility • Benchmarking more than data gathering. Complexity of metrics is a subject for further analysis – not just an increase in cycling but who, what, where: gender, ethnicity, socio-economic-status • Plus analysis what for – trip purpose (with multiple purposes allowable) • Finally, if one thing is expected out of SPICYCLES 1,5 year from now, it is that cycling share has increased in the six cities and safety improved. • Don’t allow overall ‘no room for improvement’ score. (There is always room for improvement!) • Organise in depth peer to peer benchmarking to enlarge the learning experience of partner cities.

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Participating Cities Rome, Dipartimento X, Politiche Ambientali ed Agricole Italy Berlin, Senate Department for Urban Development (SenStadt), Germany Ploiesti, City Hall (PMP), Romania Bucharest, Regia Autonoma de Transport Bucuresti (RATB), Romania Barcelona, Barcelona Municipality (BCN), Spain Göteborg, Traffic and Public Transport Authority Sweden

Coordinator:

Supporting Agencies DB Rent GmbH, Germany

Goudappel Coffeng BV, The Netherlands

CPI Progetti S.P.A., Italy

Velo Mondial, The Netherlands

University of Rome "La Sapienza" DITS, Italy ATAC (Agenzia per i Trasporti Autoferrotranviari del Comune di Roma), Italy ISIS Istituto di Studi per l'Integrazione dei Sistemi), Italy