Research Survey (University dissertation)

[miko]

Dear Members of CTC Forum,

I am currently undertaking a cycling survey as part of my MSc Transport and City Planning dissertation at University College London (UCL).

This research aims to establish the impact of new cycling infrastructure such as segregated lanes, parking and storage facilities on cycling levels in London.

The survey has 14 questions and I wish to extend the request to the community on this forum as your views will be greatly valued.

Survey Link:

http://goo.gl/forms/GGaCd8BRKw

Please have my appreciation for taking part in the survey.

Michael Kotoh-Mortty

[gaz]

I don't cycle in London, at least not any significant distance nor frequency to make a worthwhile contribution to your survey.

However one question intrigues me: "How important are the following factors in determining your cycling route choice?"

If I respond to the option of "Cycle Superhighway / segregated cycle lanes" with a 5 it simply tells you that such facilities are important to my route planning. Likewise "Clear junction and roundabout layouts" and "Landform e.g. hilly areas". What it doesn't tell you is whether a 5 means that I actively seek out such features as part of my route choice or avoid them like the plague.

Most intriguing is the option of "Cycle parking and storage facilities". These are either present at my destination or they are not, it cannot be a factor in determining my choice of route to that destination.

In any case, good luck.

[miko]

Hi Gaz,

Thanks for the feedback. Your points have been well noted.

Elements such as cycle parking and storage facilities were included in the determinants of a ' route choice' question because: a cyclist who cycles from point A to B with the view of connecting a train at point B for instance may not deem parking facilities at the interchange station critical in the choice of connecting through that particular station to destination C or if parking is an issue at point B and another station nearby is easier to park, then if the cyclist for that reason decides to use the 2nd choice station as point B, it implies that 'parking facilities' have determined/changed his route choice.

On the other hand if, storage of the bicycle on the train could be an issue, the cyclist could choose a route where the bike could be taken on the train with ease in order to commute from point B to destination C. So, different things come into consideration in terms of individual preferences and they vary from one scenario to the other. I hope this clarifies your points and thanks for raising them.

Regards,

Miko

[TonyR]

Just completed it but it didn't seem from the questions you asked that you could possibly answer the questions posed in your first post. Taking as an example clear junction layouts, I may not like unclear junction layouts but it does not mean I won't cycle a route with unclear junctions especially if its a much more direct route and unclear junctions doesn't affect my propensity to continue cycling (I think that latter question may be easily misunderstood to mean cycling preferences).

[miko]

Hi TonyR,

Thanks for completing the survey and the point you raised. I will take note of that.

Regards
Miko

[TonyR]

Miko

If you haven't already seen it you might like to check out the Dutch Cycle Balance audit system for cycling provision in Dutch cities which looks at a number of measures and is correlated with the levels of cycling. It might be a useful benchmark comparison. Cycle parking is one of the measures but segregated cycling isn't.

http://media.fietsersbond.nl/Engels/Inf ... alance.pdf

[miko]

Hi TonyR,
Please have my appreciation for the link. It is quite handy information.

Miko