Gerritsen, Emma (2022) The design logics behind Dutch cycle highways. Master thesis.
|
Text
Thesis Emma Gerritsen.pdf Download (2MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Initially cycle highways were designed to get car commuters out of their cars and onto their bicycles by providing fast and efficient routes. However, societal developments and changing travel patterns pose the question whether this rhetoric behind the design of cycle highways is still accurate. Some have even argued that this car-based rhetoric was never successful for the design of cycle highways. Instead, the unique perspective of cyclists, their embodied experiences and motives should be considered. This research explores to what extent and how different cyclist types and cycling experiences are considered in the design of cycle highways in the Netherlands. In doing so, it takes the practitioner’s perspective to research how cycle highways are staged topdown. Insights are inquired through a multiple case study using semi-structured interviews and document analyses. The results show that practitioners view the cycle highway concept through two different logics. The car logic targets car commuters to make the switch through a design that focuses on directness, efficiency and speed. This is informed by principles from the conventional transport paradigm. The bicycle logic targets commuting cyclists and aims to facilitate an optimal cycling experience through a design that focuses on the activity itself and attractiveness of the route. This is informed by principles from the sustainable mobility paradigm. Even though most practitioners are aware of the importance of the cyclist perspective, there are many institutional factors that push for a car-based design. These include the CROW design guidelines, financial constraints, stakeholder interests and physical limitations. By reflecting upon current academic works, this study argues for a reconsideration of the design guidelines by paying more attention to the subjective side and allowing for flexibility in the design. Furthermore, the current cyclists should not be forgotten when designing cycle highways. These reflections are valuable contributions to the design of successful cycle highways and the transition towards sustainable mobility. Furthermore, the findings of this study add to the current knowledge on how mobilities of Dutch cycle highways are staged top-down through transport and mobility paradigms and institutional factors. With that it opens an avenue for future research on the bottom-up staging of cycle highway mobilities.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Society, Sustainability and Planning (MSc Socio-spatial Planning) |
| Supervisor: | Niekerk, F. |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Jan 2022 10:58 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Jan 2022 10:58 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3758 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |