Putting it all together: the policy context of applying the FLOW tools

Identify a cycling or walking measure that you want to lobby for in your city. Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

We have already started to lobby for improvement of cycling infrastructure.

1. Is there a problem to be fixed?

Every year number of registered vehicles is increasing and that causes the high demand for parking space, especially in the city centre which is main zone of attraction. There is no good quality sustainable mode option for private car replacement, so we have to work on improvements of other modes of transport. One of the option for the solution of the problem is the improvement in cycling infrastructure (establishment of cycle lanes and bike parking). Considering the city size, climate conditions and landscape the bike is very convenient solution.

2. What is your policy solution?

During the SUMP development process, we have conducted the survey among citizens, and one of the question was in order to realize why do they not use a bike as a mode of transport . We got several answers, but the majority said that they don't cycle because they don't feel safe, there are many cars and no bike lanes. 

We have 2 bike paths in the city (on North part and on South), so our first step in process of solving the problem of congestion and traffic safety is to connect these existing 2 bike paths with bike lanes that will go throgh the city centre. 

This route is useful for locals, but it can be interesting for the tourists, because it's a part of the EuroVelo 11.

In order to achive this it is necessary to remove on street parking places and make some changes in parking policy. In order to find the answer to the high demand for parking place, the idea is to construct the public garages on the outskirt of the city centre. One public garage is constructed this year, but citizens don't have the habit to use it, although some onstreet parkings were removed. The urban plan for construction of the second public garage is adopted this year and the funds for land preparation are reserved in the city budget.

The funds for development of design documentation for this bike lane are reserved in the the next year city budget. And we are working on establishment of bike share system.

3. What is the current state of political support?

The politicians are aware of the congestion problem and the problem of high demand for parking spaces, but their first opinion for this situation is that pedestrians are the cause of the problem. Firstly they thought only about cars. But this attitude starts to change towards sustainable solutions thanks to the ethusiasm and persistence of a few of us. Organization of the various activities about sustainable mobility e.g. European Mobility Week, helped in lobbying and increased the visibility in media and public attention about this topic. Great acceptance of the organized activities among citizens and positive feedback was the good argument in discussion with decision makers. The change in traffic organization is not an easy task and politicians will not accept to vote for some new measure easily. So it is necessary to prepare strong arguments and positive results in order to get political support. It's time consuming but it's important to go step by step.

4. Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix?

We need to continue the promotion of sustainable urban mobility, to start the implementation of SUMP and to find the funds for measures. Realization a small improvements at first, in order to avoid mistakes, so that "old paradigm mind set" shifts forward "new paradigm mind set". 

1. Is there a problem to be fixed?

The city of Lyon is doing a good job reducing the space allocated to cars : less parking space on streets, reduced number of traffic lanes on major streets, etc. One of the impact is the increase of the cyclist number (+10 to +20% each years). The cycling infrastructure are increasing too, but they lack "strong" and secured cycling infrastructure, like cycle highways. Some people aren't riding bikes because they fear that "normal" bike lanes aren't secured enough.

1. What is your policy solution?

This issue could be fixed through two different but complementary approaches:

- More secured and visible bike lanes, like cycle highways : infrastructures where people can ride safely and feel secured, and have little interaction with cars

- Reduce the speed limit : in France, speed limit for cars is still at 50 km/h on residential streets. Reducing it to 30km/h should increase the cycles and pedestrian safety, reduce noise and pollution

1. What is the current state of political support?

Politics generally agree that cycling and walking are good for the city in term of pollution, safety, noise, public health... But the modal share of bike remain low, and it's still more profitable to accommodate drivers than cyclists. The pressure on driver is already high (although I think it's not high enough) with parking traffic lane reduction, and the politics don't want to add more pressure quickly.

1. Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix?

I'm not sure that Lyon is ready yet. Other towns are doing a great job (like Grenoble, which is extending the 30km/h speed limit and is building great cycle path), so Lyon could be one day. Ways to push towards those solutions are multiple : apply a 30km/h speed limit on determined districts, change the name cycle highway/autoroute à vélo (this name could be related to speed, and we want to reduce speed in towns) to something smoother (secured bike path ?), doing more traffic calming on residential streets, etc.

Identify a cycling or walking measure that you want to lobby for in your city. Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

We have already started to lobby for improvement of pedestrian infrastructure.

1. Is there a problem to be fixed?

Most of the junctions are designed for the vehicles- wide curve radii wich causes long pedestrian crossings and higher speed of cars when turning right. It is noticable the non legal parking of cars near pedestrian crossings, that can have negative impact on pedestrian safety.

2. What is your policy solution?

Implementation of FLOW approach in urban plans and design documentations for the reconstruction of the streets and junctions. At first it is necessary to raise awareness among traffic planners about this facts and needs of pedestrians.

3. What is the current state of political support?

The politicians are not familiar with this kind of solutions and positive impacts, probably because the traffic planners provided the solutions developed by the "old paradigm" and existing regulations, thinking only about cars. But on the other hand, certan amount of the city budget is used for the improvements of the pedestrian infrastructure (widening the pavements, tactile tiles, speed limit zones, ramps for wheelchairs, etc) in previous period.

4. Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix?

The city is almoust ready for the realization of this kind of measures, but it is necessary to raise awareness among traffic planners.

Identify a cycling or walking measure that you want to lobby for in your city. Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

Vehicles access restriction and relocation of road space to pedestrians

Is there a problem to be fixed?

The problems that should be fixed are: high polluted air, noise, congestion and accidents.

What is your policy solution?

My policy solutions is transforming of the main street in the CBD into public space i.e pedestrian zone with access restriction for vehicles of non-residents and goods delivery in certain hours

What is the current state of political support?

Politics generally agree that walking is good for the city in term of pollution, safety, noise, public health... 

Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix?

I'm not sure that Skopje is ready yet. It should be communicated with the public. 

Identify a cycling or walking measure that you want to lobby for in your city. Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

Review the three conditions for successful policy adoption in your city as they relate to this subject. Describe and apply the following conditions to your local situation:

1. Is there a problem to be fixed?

In recent years, the number of cars and bicycles that are stolen has been rising, on top of the already high number.

In 2016, 4427 reports of bicycle theft were done in the municipality of Utrecht while experience shows that only 25 to 35 percent of the bicycle thefts are reported. That means dozens of bicycles are stolen every day, especially around train station and city center.

The number of car trafficking in Utrecht has been increasing again for three years, but the target is a decrease of 25 percent in 2018 compared to 2011.

2. What is your policy solution?

To encourage cycling and walking, there are several measures that need to be considered:

-Set a target for reducing bicycle theft rate by building or providing more bicycle storage space, i.e. bicycle racks or bicycle parking garage.

-Additional supervision, with supervisors (can be from city officials, neighborhood watch, cameras and so on)

-Detection by means of software. Bicycle can be chipped and use mobile apps to detect their movements, send unwanted movements warning to the owner. This can also be used at mapping the trajectories of bicycles to discover the trend of thievery and center of stolen bicycles.

3. What is the current state of political support?

Utrecht has been building more and more bicycle storage around the train station. It is a very efficient measure. But not much has been done for residential areas around the city center, where there are mostly old houses with no bicycle storage like new apartments, but have to be parked on the pedestrian lanes in the neighborhood.

4. Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix?

Bicycle theft problem is a tricky to solve. We can see politicians in Utrecht is working actively to solve car trafficking and putting it on high priority. We need to persuade them to do the same for bicycle users. Communication with bicycle user and effective supervision on this problem are the main approaches to start solving this problem actively.

Task 2.2: Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

Identify a cycling or walking measure that you want to lobby for in your city. Are you ready to start influencing your decision makers?

Review the three conditions for successful policy adoption in your city as they relate to this subject. Describe and apply the following conditions to your local situation:

1. Is there a problem to be fixed? The city needs more cycling infrastructure.

2. What is your policy solution? To build 30 km/h speed lanes in major streets and 30 km/h speed zones.

3. What is the current state of political support? In this aspect, technicians count on full political support.

4. Reviewing the three conditions above: Is my city ready? If not, what do we need to fix? In general, yes. In any case, the City Council is currently working to concern population about soft mobility modes and specifically cyclist to use their bicycles in a safe way and car drivers to respect cyclists and consider them as part of the city traffic.