The benefits of cycling: Viewing cyclists as travellers rather than non-motorists.

摘要

In the last decade, cycling has increased rapidly in the central parts of Stockholm. At the sametime, the decreasing trend in cycling seems to continue in the outer parts of the region. Thispaper explores the factors behind these trends. In the central parts, increased road congestion,transit crowding and improved cycle infrastructure have lowered the generalized cost ofcycling relative to other transport modes; spillover effects seem to generate a positive spiral;and increased interest in physical fitness and changes in the relative prices of cars versuscentral residences are beginning to turn the bicycle into a high-status mode of transport. In theperipheral parts, on the other hand, increasing travel distances and sparser land use patternscombine to decrease cycling levels.The paper also finds that additional benefits of cycling investments often are small and base adiscussion of cycling policy on this, arguing that the many advantages of the bicycle – speed,space-efficiency, low investment and travel costs, no external costs, health effects – meansthat it deserves more attention from spatial and transport planners. To achieve this, cyclepromoters need to focus on the bicycle as a highly efficient means of transport, and not reduceit to a second-best remedy to obesity or climate issues.