Transport Research Laboratory

The main aim of this study was to determine whether any real factors contribute to the exclusion of cyclists from some pedestrian areas. In these areas where cycling is permitted, it has been achieved by: (a) shared use of the whole, or certain sections of the pedestrian area; (b) combined use with selected motor vehicles (eg buses and service vehicles); (c) time-restricted access; (d) special paths for cyclists. This study was in two stages, in stage one, 1 hour video recordings of pedestrian areas at 12 sites in England and at 9 sites in mainland Europe were taken.

Cyclists in the UK are normally permitted to use with-flow bus lanes and other bus priority facilities because sustainable modes of transport are being encouraged and because cycling in bus lanes is usually safer than riding outside them between moving buses and general traffic.

There are fewer road deaths per head of the population in Britain than in almost any other country in the world. With minor variations in international rankings, this has been the case consistently for many years. The most recent data (2015) show that Norway and Sweden both have fewer road deaths per head than Britain while Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands have more.

The objectives of this study were to examine the issues regarding road narrowings and to monitor the benefits of measures designed to assist cyclists. The general approach to the study programme was to divide the research into four main elements: