Post by KOLONEL BRISK on May 27, 2006 20:00:08 GMT 3
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Of bicycle paths: A letter to Kombo
By Jagi Gakunju
Dear Hon Kombo,
I have been involved in campaigning for bicycle paths in urban areas through Uvumbuzi since 1989. Consequently, I would like to share with you simple facts that could influence our investment in urban transportation to ensure that it benefits the majority rather than the minority.
Kenya has an estimated one million registered vehicles. By world standards this is a small number of vehicles. A city like Bangkok has a population of 14 million and nine million vehicles.
Two thirds of Kenya’s vehicles are in Nairobi. 82 per cent of Nairobi’s vehicles are driven for less than 15km (from home to work).
The total cost of buying fuel against GDP is more than 30 per cent. It means that more than 20 per cent of the fuel is consumed to ferry people, daily, for less than 15km.
The number of journeys made by foot within the 15km distance daily is now estimated to make 72 per cent of all daily errands. The percentage is higher in other urban areas. The western world has declared any distance up to 15 km, a bicycle distance.
A research done through World Bank financing by the University of Nairobi and Nairobi City Council in the 1980s indicated that
a) there was no social, religious, or cultural barrier to urban populations riding bicycles to and from work and
b) the people who are walking today (the 72 per cent) would improve their productivity 12 times, if they rode bicycles, to and from work (load and speed factors).
The only barrier identified by the above research to bicycles use is safety. People wanted separate bicycle lanes.
The initiative saw some half-hearted efforts by the government and local authorities being initiated towards this end in the 1980s and part of 1990s. Kakamega is a case where the initiative was successful, but there was no follow-up and the bicycle paths are now in a sorry state.
The study showed that to build a good quality bicycle path, it costs less than 1/13th of a similar distance of a road for vehicles.
In Nairobi City Planners Archives, you will see plans to start a pilot project on Jogoo Road which was 15km — both sides. The initial bicycle path (and not foot-path) can be seen on the section near Makadara in Nairobi.
Those interviewed also asked further enhancement to make riding bicycles in urban areas a joy, including parking areas, paths that had origin and destination (routes) and the setting up of changing rooms in working places.
Western Europe, especially Continental Europe, has in recent years focused on bicycle and footpaths development. For instance Malmo in Sweden was able to reduce buses from 500 to 52 in the 1980s, while in Amsterdam, 57 per cent of all city journeys are by bicycles.
Notably, these are rich countries and they are mainly worried by pollution. We have a myriad of advantages in developing our urban transportation to cater for the majority.
The need to invest in bicycle lanes (and footpaths) is ever more urgent. Petroleum fuel products have more than doubled in the last two years while salaries have been static.
In fact, during the World Bank presentation on Urban Transportation at UN Headquarters in Gigiri in the 1980s, one presenter showed that Kenya could become a net exporter of capital if we developed bicycle paths, with origin and destination designs.
The sorry state of many decisions in Kenya, is that those decisions that affect many are decided by a few. The few resources we have are being directed towards the repairs of roads for cars — because, those who make decisions have cars. They forget that the silent majority are walking on unpaved surfaces and being splashed with mud, and that their well-being would be improved by having bicycle paths.
In conclusion, I would request you to make a real mark before you leave the ministry. As is in the Kaizen (Japanese) philosophy, "It is by continuously improving the small things that one can have an impact in organisations."
I invite you to look at our rural brothers and sisters. You will see them ferrying huge amounts of produce to markets and they need bicycle paths along the main highways. Mwea, Kitale and Webuye areas are good examples.
I am willing to discuss this issue with you to ensure we both make a mark in improving the current status of our brothers and sisters.
— The writer is the Group CEO AAR
EUROPEAN EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
All over Europe there are cities where politicians have recognised the potential of the bicycle to solve traffic related problems like congestion and air-pollution. However, there is no such thing as a single model city for bicycle traffic. Several examples were selected to show how bicycle promotion can work under different conditions.
Troisdorf (Germany; 65,000 inhabitants)
Troisodrf is remarkable not just for its innovative measurers for Bicycle traffic, But also for its public relations efforts and for financing about 70% of its bicycle infrastructure by subsidies from the federal and regional governments.
Salzburg (Austria; 145,000 inhabitants)
In Salzburg many Bicycle facilities were created but bicycle traffic really soared after the introduction of a new parking policy.
Groningen (Netherlands: 165,000 inhabitants)
Groningen capital of the Dutch province of Groningen is almost "legendary" for its proportion of bicycle traffic which amounts to approximately 50% of all trips. This success is mainly due to restrictions for car traffic in the city centre as well as traffic-reducing land-use planning.
Geneva (Switzerland; 170,000 inhabitants)
Geneva is among the cities with the highest degree of motorization Despite this situation, the city became one of the best places to learn about competent planning for bicycle traffic in the latin part of Europe.
Basel (Switzerland; 170,000 inhabitants)
Keeping the whole network of streets open and usable for cyclists is more important than just building a few cycle-ways. In Basel, most one-way streets are open far two-way bicycle traffic, speed humps have flat passages far cyclists; at big intersections cyclists can use extra lanes for turning to the left and many bus lanes are open for cyclists.
Other Examples:
York and Houten - mentioned in the T&E-factsheet 'walking in cities' - also are positive examples for the promotion of Bicycle traffic. Further examples are the German towns of Munster and Erlangen. Darmstadt in Germany is well known for legalising cycling in its large pedestrian zone Saarbruucken (Germany) was a 'hopeless case' for cyclists until the city decided to open all one-way streets in 30 km/h-zones for two-way bicycle traffic.
Copenhagen (Denmark) is the place where the traditional instrument of bicycle-promotion - the cycle way - has been brought to perfection. Nakskov (Denmark) with 16,000 inhabitants is an example of a very small town that promoted bicycle traffic successfully. Winterthur
(Switzerland) has on extensive network of cycle routes and is regarded as the most bicycle-friendly city in Switzerland.
By the standards of other European countries, many towns in the Netherlands like Delft, Appeldoorn, Leiden or Tilburg - just to mention a few - are model bicycle cities.
Conclusions - lessons learned
Promotion of the bicycle can only be part of a successful traffic policy. In many European cities, car traffic still enjoys privileges that make it a perfectly sensible idea to use the car even in city centres. Only after Salzburg abolished free parking in the central districts bicycle use in this area increased by 120% within weeks. Groningen would not have had the slightest chance to reach its high level of bicycle use had it not reserved a fair proportion of road space formerly occupied by cars for public transport and non-motorised road users. Much more than the present 21% of employees living in Basel would go to work by car if the number of company parking lots had not been severely limited in recent years.
No bicycle promotion without public relations
The decision to use a bicycle largely depends on opinions and attitudes. Changing attitudes towards cycling can bring as big a change in bicycle use as the construction of bicycle facilities. Traffic policy for the bicycle is only successful if it can be sold to the electorate. Both aims - changing attitudes towards cycling and selling good achievements to the electorate - require consequent public relations as part of every program for bicycle promotion.
Think about aims before thinking about solutions
It is not the aim to build as many cycle paths as possible, but to make the bicycle more attractive as a means of transport. If people are asked why they chose a certain means of transport, "saving time" is always mentioned as the most important reason. Safety only comes in second place, and convenience comes third. This means that cycling must be made safer, but also faster (=without delays and detours) and more comfortable.
How to make cycling faster
The most important task is not just to increase the speed of cycling, but to avoid unnecessary loss of time. Cyclists loose time, for instance, by detours or if they have a shorter green phase at traffic lights. By far the biggest obstacle to cycling are the many regulations for motorised traffic which were never meant for cyclists but cost them a lot of time, one-way streets, no left (right) turn permitted or pedestrian zone (in some cases). The ideal target would be to give cyclists back the freedom of movement they enjoyed before all those special regulations for motorised traffic were introduced.
How to make cycling safer
At crossings, using a cycle path can be more dangerous than cycling on the roadway. In most cases accidents are caused by conflicts between cars turning and cyclists going straight on. Only by making conflicts visible and calculable for car drivers accidents can be avoided. Besides efforts to reduce accident risk at crossings, the most important important measure for the safety of cyclists is speed reduction of motorised traffic.
How to make cycling more comfortable
As mentioned above, cycle ways have very little to do with safety but they have a lot to do with comfort. It makes cyclists feel comfortable to be separated from motorized traffic. Cycle paths should be wide enough, clearly separated from the pavement and they should have smooth asphalt paving . As bicycles do not have suspension, kerbstones, stone paving and the like should not be put in the way of cyclists.
Major errors to be avoided:
A pavement is not a cycle way
Shared pavements for cyclists and pedestrians or 'cycle ways' built on pavement-level or just painted on pavements are an invention of car-orientated traffic planning of recent decades. Cycling on pedestrian pavements is dangerous in any case (legalised or not). Space for cyclists should always be taken from the roadway and not from the pavement.
A cyclist is not a pedestrian on wheels
Both walking and cycling seem to Be "Slow" compared with motorized traffic. It is easily forgotten that the average cyclist moves five times as fast as the average pedestrian. Therefore competent traffic engineering for bicycle traffic has very little in common with traffic engineering for pedestrians
Checklist for bicycle-friendly cities
The design of Bicycle facilities follows the rules and principles of vehicle traffic (direct left turns, no two-way Bicycle traffic on one side of the road).
If space is reserved for cyclists it is taken from the roadway
The whole network of streets is kept open and usable for cyclists
As a general rule, cyclists are exempt from hindrances and restrictions specially meant far motorized traffic (no entry, no right or left turn, one-way traffic...)
Bridges and underpasses which are not intended for motorized traffic are designed for safe and comfortable use By both pedestrians and cyclists
The design of speed humps provides comfortable passage for cyclists.
The ways of cyclists are kept clean and well maintained especially in winter.
Bicycle stands in front of shops and public Buildings show cyclists that they are welcome as customers. Railway stations are equipped with covered bicycle stands
The image of cycling is improved through public relations campaigns and people are encouraged to use the Bicycle as a means of transport.
Of bicycle paths: A letter to Kombo
By Jagi Gakunju
Dear Hon Kombo,
I have been involved in campaigning for bicycle paths in urban areas through Uvumbuzi since 1989. Consequently, I would like to share with you simple facts that could influence our investment in urban transportation to ensure that it benefits the majority rather than the minority.
Kenya has an estimated one million registered vehicles. By world standards this is a small number of vehicles. A city like Bangkok has a population of 14 million and nine million vehicles.
Two thirds of Kenya’s vehicles are in Nairobi. 82 per cent of Nairobi’s vehicles are driven for less than 15km (from home to work).
The total cost of buying fuel against GDP is more than 30 per cent. It means that more than 20 per cent of the fuel is consumed to ferry people, daily, for less than 15km.
The number of journeys made by foot within the 15km distance daily is now estimated to make 72 per cent of all daily errands. The percentage is higher in other urban areas. The western world has declared any distance up to 15 km, a bicycle distance.
A research done through World Bank financing by the University of Nairobi and Nairobi City Council in the 1980s indicated that
a) there was no social, religious, or cultural barrier to urban populations riding bicycles to and from work and
b) the people who are walking today (the 72 per cent) would improve their productivity 12 times, if they rode bicycles, to and from work (load and speed factors).
The only barrier identified by the above research to bicycles use is safety. People wanted separate bicycle lanes.
The initiative saw some half-hearted efforts by the government and local authorities being initiated towards this end in the 1980s and part of 1990s. Kakamega is a case where the initiative was successful, but there was no follow-up and the bicycle paths are now in a sorry state.
The study showed that to build a good quality bicycle path, it costs less than 1/13th of a similar distance of a road for vehicles.
In Nairobi City Planners Archives, you will see plans to start a pilot project on Jogoo Road which was 15km — both sides. The initial bicycle path (and not foot-path) can be seen on the section near Makadara in Nairobi.
Those interviewed also asked further enhancement to make riding bicycles in urban areas a joy, including parking areas, paths that had origin and destination (routes) and the setting up of changing rooms in working places.
Western Europe, especially Continental Europe, has in recent years focused on bicycle and footpaths development. For instance Malmo in Sweden was able to reduce buses from 500 to 52 in the 1980s, while in Amsterdam, 57 per cent of all city journeys are by bicycles.
Notably, these are rich countries and they are mainly worried by pollution. We have a myriad of advantages in developing our urban transportation to cater for the majority.
The need to invest in bicycle lanes (and footpaths) is ever more urgent. Petroleum fuel products have more than doubled in the last two years while salaries have been static.
In fact, during the World Bank presentation on Urban Transportation at UN Headquarters in Gigiri in the 1980s, one presenter showed that Kenya could become a net exporter of capital if we developed bicycle paths, with origin and destination designs.
The sorry state of many decisions in Kenya, is that those decisions that affect many are decided by a few. The few resources we have are being directed towards the repairs of roads for cars — because, those who make decisions have cars. They forget that the silent majority are walking on unpaved surfaces and being splashed with mud, and that their well-being would be improved by having bicycle paths.
In conclusion, I would request you to make a real mark before you leave the ministry. As is in the Kaizen (Japanese) philosophy, "It is by continuously improving the small things that one can have an impact in organisations."
I invite you to look at our rural brothers and sisters. You will see them ferrying huge amounts of produce to markets and they need bicycle paths along the main highways. Mwea, Kitale and Webuye areas are good examples.
I am willing to discuss this issue with you to ensure we both make a mark in improving the current status of our brothers and sisters.
— The writer is the Group CEO AAR
EUROPEAN EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
All over Europe there are cities where politicians have recognised the potential of the bicycle to solve traffic related problems like congestion and air-pollution. However, there is no such thing as a single model city for bicycle traffic. Several examples were selected to show how bicycle promotion can work under different conditions.
Troisdorf (Germany; 65,000 inhabitants)
Troisodrf is remarkable not just for its innovative measurers for Bicycle traffic, But also for its public relations efforts and for financing about 70% of its bicycle infrastructure by subsidies from the federal and regional governments.
Salzburg (Austria; 145,000 inhabitants)
In Salzburg many Bicycle facilities were created but bicycle traffic really soared after the introduction of a new parking policy.
Groningen (Netherlands: 165,000 inhabitants)
Groningen capital of the Dutch province of Groningen is almost "legendary" for its proportion of bicycle traffic which amounts to approximately 50% of all trips. This success is mainly due to restrictions for car traffic in the city centre as well as traffic-reducing land-use planning.
Geneva (Switzerland; 170,000 inhabitants)
Geneva is among the cities with the highest degree of motorization Despite this situation, the city became one of the best places to learn about competent planning for bicycle traffic in the latin part of Europe.
Basel (Switzerland; 170,000 inhabitants)
Keeping the whole network of streets open and usable for cyclists is more important than just building a few cycle-ways. In Basel, most one-way streets are open far two-way bicycle traffic, speed humps have flat passages far cyclists; at big intersections cyclists can use extra lanes for turning to the left and many bus lanes are open for cyclists.
Other Examples:
York and Houten - mentioned in the T&E-factsheet 'walking in cities' - also are positive examples for the promotion of Bicycle traffic. Further examples are the German towns of Munster and Erlangen. Darmstadt in Germany is well known for legalising cycling in its large pedestrian zone Saarbruucken (Germany) was a 'hopeless case' for cyclists until the city decided to open all one-way streets in 30 km/h-zones for two-way bicycle traffic.
Copenhagen (Denmark) is the place where the traditional instrument of bicycle-promotion - the cycle way - has been brought to perfection. Nakskov (Denmark) with 16,000 inhabitants is an example of a very small town that promoted bicycle traffic successfully. Winterthur
(Switzerland) has on extensive network of cycle routes and is regarded as the most bicycle-friendly city in Switzerland.
By the standards of other European countries, many towns in the Netherlands like Delft, Appeldoorn, Leiden or Tilburg - just to mention a few - are model bicycle cities.
Conclusions - lessons learned
Promotion of the bicycle can only be part of a successful traffic policy. In many European cities, car traffic still enjoys privileges that make it a perfectly sensible idea to use the car even in city centres. Only after Salzburg abolished free parking in the central districts bicycle use in this area increased by 120% within weeks. Groningen would not have had the slightest chance to reach its high level of bicycle use had it not reserved a fair proportion of road space formerly occupied by cars for public transport and non-motorised road users. Much more than the present 21% of employees living in Basel would go to work by car if the number of company parking lots had not been severely limited in recent years.
No bicycle promotion without public relations
The decision to use a bicycle largely depends on opinions and attitudes. Changing attitudes towards cycling can bring as big a change in bicycle use as the construction of bicycle facilities. Traffic policy for the bicycle is only successful if it can be sold to the electorate. Both aims - changing attitudes towards cycling and selling good achievements to the electorate - require consequent public relations as part of every program for bicycle promotion.
Think about aims before thinking about solutions
It is not the aim to build as many cycle paths as possible, but to make the bicycle more attractive as a means of transport. If people are asked why they chose a certain means of transport, "saving time" is always mentioned as the most important reason. Safety only comes in second place, and convenience comes third. This means that cycling must be made safer, but also faster (=without delays and detours) and more comfortable.
How to make cycling faster
The most important task is not just to increase the speed of cycling, but to avoid unnecessary loss of time. Cyclists loose time, for instance, by detours or if they have a shorter green phase at traffic lights. By far the biggest obstacle to cycling are the many regulations for motorised traffic which were never meant for cyclists but cost them a lot of time, one-way streets, no left (right) turn permitted or pedestrian zone (in some cases). The ideal target would be to give cyclists back the freedom of movement they enjoyed before all those special regulations for motorised traffic were introduced.
How to make cycling safer
At crossings, using a cycle path can be more dangerous than cycling on the roadway. In most cases accidents are caused by conflicts between cars turning and cyclists going straight on. Only by making conflicts visible and calculable for car drivers accidents can be avoided. Besides efforts to reduce accident risk at crossings, the most important important measure for the safety of cyclists is speed reduction of motorised traffic.
How to make cycling more comfortable
As mentioned above, cycle ways have very little to do with safety but they have a lot to do with comfort. It makes cyclists feel comfortable to be separated from motorized traffic. Cycle paths should be wide enough, clearly separated from the pavement and they should have smooth asphalt paving . As bicycles do not have suspension, kerbstones, stone paving and the like should not be put in the way of cyclists.
Major errors to be avoided:
A pavement is not a cycle way
Shared pavements for cyclists and pedestrians or 'cycle ways' built on pavement-level or just painted on pavements are an invention of car-orientated traffic planning of recent decades. Cycling on pedestrian pavements is dangerous in any case (legalised or not). Space for cyclists should always be taken from the roadway and not from the pavement.
A cyclist is not a pedestrian on wheels
Both walking and cycling seem to Be "Slow" compared with motorized traffic. It is easily forgotten that the average cyclist moves five times as fast as the average pedestrian. Therefore competent traffic engineering for bicycle traffic has very little in common with traffic engineering for pedestrians
Checklist for bicycle-friendly cities
The design of Bicycle facilities follows the rules and principles of vehicle traffic (direct left turns, no two-way Bicycle traffic on one side of the road).
If space is reserved for cyclists it is taken from the roadway
The whole network of streets is kept open and usable for cyclists
As a general rule, cyclists are exempt from hindrances and restrictions specially meant far motorized traffic (no entry, no right or left turn, one-way traffic...)
Bridges and underpasses which are not intended for motorized traffic are designed for safe and comfortable use By both pedestrians and cyclists
The design of speed humps provides comfortable passage for cyclists.
The ways of cyclists are kept clean and well maintained especially in winter.
Bicycle stands in front of shops and public Buildings show cyclists that they are welcome as customers. Railway stations are equipped with covered bicycle stands
The image of cycling is improved through public relations campaigns and people are encouraged to use the Bicycle as a means of transport.