Recently Nijmegen has been attracting much attention with ambitious bicycle plans. For the period 2002-2006 eight million Euro has been earmarked for bicycle facilities. Policies have been formulated in Uitvoeringsprogramma Fietsinfrastructuur 2003-2012. A number of the urban routes and cycling highways in this programme have by now been upgraded as planned. Last year authorities felt it was time to found out what people feel about the policies executed.
At seven locations in town at upgraded bicycle routes and at one location where measures still have to be implemented 1440 cyclists were addressed and later interviewed by telephone. On the one hand general questions about the local cycling climate were posed, on the other hand specific questions about the improvements effected on the cycling route concerned.
Three quarters of the cyclists had noted changes/improvements to the route. Those that did not notice anything, turn out to be less frequent cyclists. Of those noting changes, 85% feel this was an improvement: the route is faster, safer and/or more comfortable now. The lowest score referred to the location Keizer Karelplein. The most important change there, a two-way bike path around the square, was judged negatively by a quarter of those interviewed: lanes are now too narrow, no separation and chaotic situations. Appreciation is, with some exceptions, in line with the upgrades’ objective. But does it promote cycling? Of all cyclists, 8% say it does. Not many, according to the Nijmegen researchers: ‘No less than nine out of every ten cyclists declare the change has not influenced bicycle use.’
The non-infrastructural efforts of authorities do not appear to have been very effective. In April of 2006 a cycling campaign had been organised with posters, media attention and 20.000 ‘boomerang cards’ reading ‘You can reach me by bike’. A majority of cyclists say such a campaign is important (66%), but the same percentage of cyclists had never seen or heard the general slogan ‘You can reach more by bike’.