The dissatisfaction and safety concerns felt by UK cyclists compared with their European peers have been documented in new research which highlights how the differences in experience between British cyclists and their peers in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Germany are at times stark.

Water management company ACO published the findings of its research last month in a whitepaper titled ‘Pedalling for better cycle paths – keeping Britain cycling’, the contents of which were first reported by Highways News.

Surveying 100 urban cyclists from the UK, as well as equal numbers from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, the ACO found that British respondents were the least satisfied with the design and maintenance of cycle paths, and were also a nation of cyclists who felt less safe than their European counterparts.

Only 58% of cyclists in the UK believe that cycle paths are well maintained, compared to 83% in the Netherlands, 81% in Denmark, 72% in Sweden and 64% in Germany. Additionally, 24% of cyclists in the UK expressed dissatisfaction with the design of their city’s cycling infrastructure, compared to 3% of Dutch cyclists, 8% of Danish and Swedish cyclists and 17% of Germans.

On safety, 23 percent of UK cyclists disagreed with a statement that they felt safe cycling in their local city, a figure that is much higher than the 11 percent of Swedish cyclists, 6 percent of Dutch cyclists and 1 percent of German and Danish cyclists who said they did not feel safe.

Finally, only 20 per cent of cyclists living in England reported facing minimal barriers to making further journeys by bike; this figure was higher for cyclists in the other four countries.

In trying to explain the figures, the ACO argues that in European countries where the UK is compared, cyclists are prioritised in urban areas, and this is often reinforced by the design of roundabouts or junctions.

For example, the white paper notes that there are 35,000 km of cycle paths in the Netherlands, but that cars are considered “guests” in cities, cyclists are given the right of way, and 60 percent of roundabouts in urban areas are designed to include a physical separation between cycle paths and motor traffic.

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Similarly, in Sweden, “bicycle traffic is given greater priority in community planning and emphasis is placed on more functional and user-friendly bicycle infrastructure.”

Michelle Osborne, from ACO Water Management, said: “By understanding the issues cyclists face and what best practice looks like when designing cycle networks and paths, greater adoption of active travel can be encouraged. From safety and navigation concerns to the quality of roads and lanes, barriers for cyclists remain. These must be addressed if the country is to truly enjoy a cycling revolution.

“As these survey statistics show, more work is needed to improve the interconnectedness of cycling infrastructure across the UK’s urban environments. The problem is not one of knowledge, because the expertise already exists within local authorities and the highway engineering sector, who are acutely aware of the challenges and issues involved in building new cycle paths or expanding existing roads and networks. Instead, the specification process should be simplified, prioritising consistency across cycling infrastructure wherever possible.

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“However, changing attitudes towards cycling infrastructure will not happen overnight. It will be a gradual process involving the entire supply chain in such projects. By working with relevant organisations in key areas such as surface water management and material suitability in corrosive environments, more effective designs and solutions can be identified and specified, leading to more positive perceptions of city cycleway quality, accessibility and connectivity.

“Developments since 2020, including the publication of LTN 1/20 and the establishment of Active Travel England, show that the country is on the right track in this regard.
“As local authorities and highway engineers use new and existing funding and apply standardised guidance to improve existing routes and create new ones, the perception gap to the rest of Europe identified in this survey should narrow.”

You can access the findings and read the full whitepaper Here…