How to ‘do’ a bike plan: Collating best practices to synthesise a Maturity Model of planning for cycling

Abstract

Cities globally are seeking to increase participation in cycling. Despite a boom in active transport research, and a growing corpus of technical literature for cycle facility design, planning practitioners aiming to normalise cycling for ordinary urban transportation often face institutional and structural barriers to progress. Historical marginalisation of cycling in many cities has created significant challenges for those seeking to realise increases in cycling by different users and for different transportation purposes.This article aims to summarise and synthesise the literature to support practitioners and advocates seeking to increase urban cycling. We undertake a broad review of the research literature focused upon international best practices, and the challenges that may impede their implementation. In doing so, we synthesise a Planning for Cycling Maturity Model – a framework which can be used to identify and conceptualise barriers to cycling, benchmark practices between jurisdictions, and illustrate the need for specific policy approaches to guide effective, evidence-based measures to increase participation in cycling.

Keywords

• Cycling
• Best practices
• Maturity Model
• Planning
• Benchmarking
• Active transport