Implementation of Cycling Policies in Prague

Veloforum | 2011-06-04 | Kyiv | Application of foreign experience in Eastern Europe

IMPLEMENTATION OF CYCLING POLICIES IN CENTRAL EUROPE

PRAGUE & THE CZECH REPUBLIC, 2011

Ing. arch. TOMÁŠ CACH
independent transport urbanist

member of Prague City Council Committee for Bicycle Transport
(especially the integration and spatial planning)

expert advisor to the Czech National bicycle coordinator

member of the bicycle transport working group of Ministry of Transport for changes in legislation

THE CZECH REPUBLIC

population: 10.5 mil inhabitants
area: 78 867 km2
capital: Prague
self-governing regions: 14

PRAGUE

population: 1.3 mil inhabitants
(metropolitan area 2 mil)
area: 496 km2

number of:
– urban districts: 10
– number of urban (administrative) districts: 22
– number of urban areas: 57

PRAGUE ~ http://cyklo.praha-mesto.cz

bicycle transport – political support in Prague (in documents)
1993 –Resolution of Prague City Assembly No. 323 on Draft of the Bicycle Infrastructure
Development in the City of Prague up to the end of 2000

1996 – Resolution of Prague City Assembly No. 13/21 on Transportation Policy of the City of Prague
(selected extracts)

2001 – Resolution of Prague City Assembly No. 2283 on the assessment of the fulfilment of
Resolution of Prague City Assembly No. 323/1993

2003 – Resolution of Prague City Council No. 0544 on Draft of the Further Development of Prague
Bicycle Routes System after 2002

2006 – Resolution of Prague City Council No. 1551 on New System of Basic Bicycle Routes Signs

2007 – Resolution of Prague City Council No. 0040 – designation of the Committee for Bicycle
Transport

2010 – Municipal ordinance No. 16/2010 (16.11.2010) Ordinance of Integrated Regional Programme
for Emission Reduction and Air Quality Improvement in the Metropolitan Area of the City of Prague
for the period 2010–2012

2010 – Resolution of Prague City Council No. 1776 on Conception of the Bicycle Transport and
Recreational Cycling Development in the City of Prague up to 2020


bicycle transport policy in Prague:

“bicycle = recreation + sport“
– nietieth, the end of the 20th century ~ several people
– Department of Transportation Engineering Institute of Prague

1st bicycle transport working group:“alibis“
– 2001 – 2002 (1/2) ~ 10–12 people
– officials, one representative, the public (activists)

2nd bicycle transport working group:“partial attempt to do something“
– 2003 (1/2) – 2006 ~ 15–16 people
– representatives and councillors, officials, activists, and expert public

Prague City Council Commission for bicycle transport:
– 1-1-2007
– 11-1-2011 ~ 16–17 people
– predominance of activists and bicycle-friendly officials and experts
– “things are going on...“

PLAN – 2010

PLAN – 2003


bicycle transport policy in Prague:
2002–2010 ~ the mayor of Prague was Pavel Bém

soft political auspices of Prague bicycle coordinator,
not real strong political support of bicycle transport

… (…) ...


2nd bicycle transport working group,
Prague City Council Commission for bicycle transport
bicycle coordinator Pavel Polák


education of the public: “Prague cycling“ people and bicycles


cyclists and motorists in the same traffic flow cycle routes


cycle lanes cyclepictocorridor bus+cycle+taxi lines


cycle paths and shared-use footways bicycle two-way road transport arrangements for cyclists

cyclepictocorridor


cyclists in pedestrian and residantial zones bicycle parking bicycles and public transport


bicycle and public transport


NOT ONLY SPORT AND RECREATION, BUT ALSO TRANSPORT...


THEY RIDE MORE AND MORE, NATURALLY AND PERIODICALLY

(2011, Prague: 30 automatic counters of bicycle traffic)


THEY RIDE MORE AND MORE, NATURALLY AND PERIODICALLY


THERE ARE STILL PROBLEM AREAS:

– usually difficult to solve

– strangling the functioning of cycling as a whole

– current users are required to overcome them
(usually uncomfortable, often dangerous)


problem areas:

There are often more SOLUTIONS

WHAT TO CHOOSE?

CONCEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT:
"SWITZERLAND " AND "DANISH" MODEL
modal split share of cycling:

most units percent mostly tens percent

usually about 15 - 25% usually important or
dominant mode of transport

CONCEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT:
"SWITZERLAND " AND "DANISH" MODEL
predominant solution:

INTEGRATION SEGREGATION

sharing of space cycling strips separated from
(especially roads) other modes of transport

improvement of mutual to ensure full functionality
coexistence and the minimum design
redistribution of traffic flows parameters are insufficient

Transit Concept from the user perspective
(within a given area / corridor)


+

the diversity of requirements of user groups


taking the diversity of requirements of user groups into account:

How to degrade the bicycle traffic:

applicability in the Czech Republic
(of those models of infrastructure)

appropriateness and feasibility of the method of solution
in conditions of Czech cities, villages and regions

?

applicability in concrete cities
appropriateness and feasibility of the method
in solving the current conditions of selected sites

Prague, Brno ...

applicability in concrete cities
appropriateness and feasibility of the method
in solving the current conditions of selected sites

Pardubice, Břeclav ...

applicability in the Czech Republic

!?
possible direction of Czech cities, towns and regions ...


„safety routes“
– especially green corridors
– self-routing, calm communication
– recreation and transport

bicycle transport integration
– surface traffic using of the area
– street arrangements and organization of transport
– integration arrangements (road and traffic signs)


„safety routes“ / rail trail Rokytka


„safety routes“ / „old connection“ + Vítkov tunnel

before after

Komise Rady hlavního města Prahy pro cyklistickou dopravu ~ http://cyklo.praha-mesto.cz

„safety routes“ / „old connection“ + Vítkov tunnel

before after


„safety routes“
/ suspended bridge under the Prague ring highway
/ over the river Vltava:

v realizaci (zprovoznění: léto 2011)


„safety routes“
/ suspended bridge under the Prague ring highway
/ over the river Berounka:

v realizaci (zprovoznění: léto 2011)

Bicycle transport integration arrangements

„Underscored“ bicycle transport passage


„Underscored“
bicycle transport
passage


„Underscored“ bicycle transport passage

before / after


< before >

< after >

INSTANT TRAFFIC CALMING, increasing security and continuity


INSTANT TRAFFIC CALMING, increasing security and continuity


cyclepictocorridor


BUS + CYCLE LINES
WITHOUT TIME LIMITATION


CHANGES TO THE TRANSIT BICYCLE
TRAFFIC Common / SEPARATE


gradual steps – „salami method“

Present:
– isolated fragments
– gradual integration

Full functionality of the system:
– continuity in space
– consistency of routes and connections


“gradual steps“ vs. “everything or nothing“


BICYCLE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PRAGUE, 2011


Conception of the Bicycle Transport and Recreational Cycling Development in the City of Prague up to 2020



cycle routes



cycle paths (and shared-use footways)



integration arrangements



bicycle stands – bike racks


Bicycle transportation conception

is limited by the overall policy of the city,
state superior concepts and strategies, including:

– spatial planning …

– traffic planning, mobility plan …

– strategic urban planning ...

IF THE WHOLE UNIT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY,
IT CAN'T BE WITHOUT INFLUENCE ON ITS COMPONENT PARTS...

TRANSPORT CONCEPTION OF PRAGUE

X
ZÁKOS > HUS > NKS > …
60.léta 20.století > X
90.léta 20.století > současnost > ...

TRANSPORT POLICY OF PRAGUE
„with more cars under the ground, we are better on the ground“

TRANSPORT CONCEPTION OF PRAGUE

non-profit-making organization
public pressure for the improvement of the conditions for bicycle transport

initiative Auto*Mat (http://www.auto-mat.cz)

since 2003, from an activist informal group of a few people to a professionally
working team of about 20 members in 2011

originally concentrating only on Prague (film A*M by the initiative founder,
documenting 2003–2009), since 2010 in some topics and campaigns also on
other towns in the CR

initiative Auto*Mat
(http://www.auto-mat.cz)

bicycle transport
“wasted chances”, “5 Points for Prague” etc.:

public pressure for the improvement of the conditions for bicycle transport,
it played an important role for the integration of bicycle transport in Prague

initiative Auto*Mat

bike rides – Critical Mass

initiative Auto*Mat / long-term projects:

watch-dog activities
large transportation structures, transportation policy, spatial planning etc.:

participation in committees, project checking, expert opinion and remarks,
media coverage of problems, pre-election debates

creation of studies (City Circle Road and North-South Artery) and papers
(Cookery Book of Good Ideas)

initiative Auto*Mat

education projects – traffic education for primary schools


green map
– urban area depicted from the perspective of non-motorized users
– with information on good culture, shops, services a restaurants
(nonsmoking, bio, fair-trade) primarily
– both printed and web version


Prahou na kole (“Around Prague by Bike“)
www.prahounakole.cz

– unofficial bicycle map of Prague (both printed and on-line)
– website for user public

initiative Auto*Mat / events:

Critical Masses
– a small event every month, big ones twice a year, school critical masses

Experience the Town Differently:
– originally in Smetanovo nábřeží (riverside) with Prague City Council
– then independently in the years of 2009+2010 in Vinohrady

initiative Auto*Mat / campaigns:

To Work by Bike, The Bicycle Employer of the Year competition
(collecting of “green” kilometres)

– over 150 subjects involved (private firms and companies, offices and
institutions and other organizations)
– positive wide publicity of bicycle transport, for the present only in Prague

Oživení (“Revitalisation”)
www.udrzitelnadoprava.cz

The elimination of barriers to bicycle transport project

Pražské matky (“Prague Mothers”)
Safe Routes to School (on foot and by bike)

non-profit-making organization
public pressure for the improvement of the conditions for bicycle transport

www.mestonakole.eu / www.brnonakole.cz / www.cykliste.cz / ...

non-profit-making & general-profit organizations
pressure for the improvement of the conditions for bicycle transport

www.nadacepartnerstvi.cz (Foundation Partnership) + www.partnerstvi-ops.cz

Web site news and information: national / regional level

ex.: www.nakole.cz / www.plzenskonakole.cz

positive presentation of the daily use of a bicycle

The Czech Republic – national level:
National Strategy for the Development of Cycling
– government document from 2004, fundamental strategic backing on
the highest decision level, it is only beginning to be realized step by step

– Cycling as an integral part of transport; from the competence aspect,
it refers to two areas:
– resident traffic of the area (transport department)
– bicycle touring (local development department)

– The primary objective is to support the high-quality and safe bicycle
infrastructure development.

– structure: preference - objective – sub-measures, the necessity to solve
interdisciplinarily in mutual coordination of individual departments

In 2007–2008 coordinated particularly by Czech Ministry of Transport,
which ordered the implementation of National Cycling Strategy
to Transport Research Centre (CDV)

Bicycle transport development agenda:
– it is various and related to several departments
– primarily transport and tourist industry

– with overlap to the environment, health area and urbanism

– wide spectrum of subject matters:

– political support

– legislation

– technical solutions

– economic impact

– it must also involve education and marketing,
with the utilization of already proved foreign experience

National bicycle coordinator’s team
– an open groupment of active specialists who work in areas
associated with the use of a bicycle (transport and recreation)

– it was formed gradually around Jaroslav Martinek while
implementing the government document National Strategy
for the Development of Cycling approved in 2004

– in the state level, there has not been and still is not an
organization devoted to the support and coordination of cycling

Members of the team:
– specialists in given areas, mostly with interdisciplinary overlap.

– scattered in different parts in the Czech Republic
but in permanent contact with each other

– they apply themselves to other activities connected
with the support of cycling in the CR also outside the team
(wit the exception of national coordinator – full time)

National bicycle coordinator’s team

Press conferences ("Breakfast with journalists”)

Financing
– municipalities + regions

– SFDI (State Transport Infrastructure Fund)

– ROP (EU Structural Funds - Regional Operational Programmes)

– private investors (building developers, etc.)

cycling conferences:

– since 2003

– bicycle transport and bicycle touring

– cooperation + coordination + partnership

cycling conference in 2009:
– four-day programme,
touring in regions

– presenting the biggest
legislative problems inhibiting
bicycle transport development

– the visits of two ministers (of transport and local development)

– the result: official appointment of the national bicycle coordinator
+ working group for the incorporation of bicycle transport development
into the road legislation

– in autumn: the first Slovak cycling conference in Žilina, arranged by Mulica

– one-day programme, at the Ministry of Transport

– the visit of the minister of transport

– cooperation with the Swiss (Schweiz Mobil – Markus and Lucas)
and the Danes (The Embassy of Denmark, participation of MC Anderson
and Jan Gehl on behalf)

– in autumn: the second Slovak cycling conference in Liptovský Mikuláš,
arranged by Mulica

– four-day programme, gradually in two regions, always presentation
and workshops on the first day and a field trip on the other day

– Uherské Hradiště – transport

– cycling “laboratories”: Pardubice and Uherské Hradiště,
the project of Meetbike

– signature of “Hradiště Charter”: political support

– presentation of the legislation development by the Ministry
of Transport representative

– etc.

– Velké Karlovice – bicycle touring

international cooperation:
Schweiz Mobil (Switzerland Mobility)

cooperation with the Czech Republic
(as a pilot international project of the transfer of Swiss know-how)
due to Nadace Partnerství (Environmental Partnership Foundation)

Swiss project for complex solution for non-motorized traffic and recreation:

– the linchpins of calm transport and recreation:
– Veloland (bicycle touring)
– Mountainbikeland (mountainbiking)
– Wanderland (hiking)
– Skatingland (skating)
– Kanuland (canoeing)

– cohesion of service providers and infrastructure
– eating, accommodation, public transport, culture, sport...

– infrastructure (also for bicycle transport):
– directional signs, revision of standard traffic signalization
(including legislation and technical literature) etc.

SchweizMobil
– transfer of know-how CH > CZ

www.nadacepartnerstvi.cz /

SchweizMobil

SchweizMobil

April 2010: a week-long excursion and workshops for twenty experts from the Czech
Republic around Switzerland (Bern, Luzern and surroundings)

October 2010: three-day tour of the Czech Republic for Switzerland Mobility
representatives

SchweizMobil

up to now:
mutual communication and help with the solution of concrete problems in progress

project „Česko jede“ ~ „Czech goes (rides)“
www.ceskojede.cz
– complex links and promoting bicycle tourism and recreation
in the Czech republic
– actually preparing the launch

project „Česko jede“ ~ „Czech goes (rides)“
www.ceskojede.cz
– complex guidepost and support of bicycle
touring and recreation in the CR,
its preparation and launching are under way

– the new web portal www.ceskojede.cz
– top bicycle-touring offer in the CR in one place
– cooperation and interconnection of all portals

cyclo-marketing product specification according to the type of target groups
and route length:
– families with children
– thematic products (less and more able recreation cyclists)
– long-distance cyclists
– bikers, off-road cyclists

prospect:
– map application – GPS mapping of all long-distance routes and products.
– campaign “Česko jede“, marketing: “active holiday“

infrastructure (also for bicycle transport):
– directional signs routes

Central Meetbike
spring 2008 and 2009: two-day cycling conference in Dresden

2010: preparation of the mutual project of international cooperation

2011-2014: transfer and sharing of know-how, financed from EU funds

Transport Research Centre (CDV) – Transport Research Centre is a public research institution and the only scientific research public institution under the Ministry of Transport. The basic
purposes of the centre are research and development activities, processing expertise, ensure projects and services for Ministry of Transport, as well as providing expert opinions for
authorities, both public and commercial entities.

www.cdv.cz
Central MeetBike Project (3CE343P2) is realized through Central Europe Programme, which is supported by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Central MeetBike Project is
a collaboration of the Polish-Czech-Slovak-German partnership. Experience from German cities and towns is to be applied in partner states and their selected pilot towns. Project
participants: Transport Research Centre, plus Pardubice and Uherské Hradiště on behalf of the Czech Republic; The Transport Research Institute in Žilina, plus Žilina and Prešov on
behalf of the Slovak Republic; non-profit organization PSWE, plus the towns of Tczew and Gdaňsk in the north of Poland; and Dresden University of Technology, plus Leipzig and Dresden
on behalf of Germany.

Central Europe Programme – is a European Union programme that encourages cooperation among the countries of Central Europe to improve innovation, accessibility and the
environment and to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of their cities and regions. Central Europe invests €231 million to provide funding to transnational cooperation projects
involving public and private organisations from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. The programme is financed by the
European Regional Development Fund and runs from 2007 to 2013.

www.central2013.eu

Central Meetbike
Germany (Dresden University of Technology, towns: Leipzig and Dresden)
Czech Republic (Transport Research Centre, towns: Pardubice and Uherské Hradiště)
Poland (non-profit organization PSWE, towns in the north of the country: Tczew and Gdaňsk)
Slovakia (The Transport Research Institute in Žilina, towns: Žilina and Prešov)

Central Meetbike

topics:

Work package 1:
Project management and coordination

Work package 2:
Communication, knowledge management and dissemination

Work package 3:
Cycling strategies & analysis, action plans, recommendations

Work package 4:
Transnational Tool for the Development of Bicycle Transport

Work package 5:
Cycling pilot investments (cycling lines, small measures and cycling parking)

Uherské Hradiště Charter
– Czech answer to Brussels Charter (VeloCity 2009, Brussels)

– individual towns and cities, urban neighbourhoods and municipalities
can join gradually

– political act of the support of bicycle transport development with concrete
requirements


Political act of the support of bicycle transport development
with concrete requirements, in particular:

– The increase of bicycle transport share in the division of transport labour

– Eliminating places and sections with high cyclist accident risk

– Eliminating bicycle transport barriers.

– Upgrading conditions for bicycle parking.

– Implementation and support of the projects leading to the wider use
of bicycles for commuting to work or to school.

– Making promotion of cycling more efficient, both towards the residents
and visitors.

– Tourism development through activities and arrangements resulting
in the improvement and expansion of bicycle touring.


2 cities participating in Central Meetbike:

and many other cities ...

...


creating the post of the bicycle coordinator (work load),
strong political mandate and whose scope of employment will involve particularly:

– Coordination of the internal city working group of „Bicycle Transport“
(close cooperation with responsible and respective authorities, municipal
authorities and other partners, such as the police, consulting and technical
centres, architects, planners, nonprofit organizations and initiatives acting
in the municipality).

– Performance of the clearly defined tasks, set on the basis of a resolution
of the Municipal Council

– Preparing background documents for the Municipal Council, proposing
sufficient budget for financial support of cycling arrangements (so-called
“hardware“), including promotion, and other “soft arrangements“ of bicycle
transport support (so-called “software“).

– Close cooperation with the working group of National Cycling Strategy
and with other urban bicycle coordinators.


2011-05-31

...

Legislative changes
Bicycle conference – May 2009:
definition of many sub-problems

Legislative changes

summer 2009:
– establishment of the working group for the incorporation of bicycle transport
development into the road legislation
– it assembles at the Ministry of Transport, MT and expert public representatives,
discussions and preparation of background documents for possible revisions
of the law on the land traffic and executive ordinances

14th September 2010:
– updating of the Act No. 30/2001 Coll., new bicycle route signs are validated

spring 2011:
– within the framework of the Statute Law Amendment Act,
partial pro-cycling revisions will be passed

present:
– revision and revaluation of individual items, creation of thematic packages,
efforts to more complex changes instead of partial supplements

Legislative changes
14th September 2010:
– updating of the Act No. 30/2001 Coll., new bicycle route signs are validated

Legislative changes (and challenges)
one example of recent Czech legislative problem:

crossing of paths for pedestrians and cyclists (with common traffic)
and communications with traffic of vehicles

Technical literature revision

– first of all, ordinances, norms and technical conditions do not usually
take bicycletransport into account, in some case only marginally (as a rule
inappropriately):

at present their application often results in worsening of bicycle transport
conditions (e.g. in the course of highway planning with inappropriate repairs,
which are solved just from the motor-vehicle traffic viewpoint)

– an effort to incorporate the subject matter of bicycle transport into all
regulations which can influence it, so that it could be adequately solved
everywhere and every time, similarly to motor-vehicle traffic

– “cycling” technical condition revision (TP 179): under the way, an effort to
change from the contemporary summary of some technical sub-measures
to the complex manual for qualified approach to space and the improvement
of conditions for bicycle transport and recreation

Technical literature revision
– example: width of the driving lanes, especially in the narrow spaces

Technical literature revision / “cycling” technical condition revision

Thank you for your attention.

Ing. arch. Tomáš Cach
+ 420 739 425 891
tomascach@gmail.com

http://picasaweb.google.cz/foto.tomas.cach

http://cyklo.praha-mesto.cz ~ www.cyklostrategie.cz

Implementation of Cycling Policies in Prague

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