Model of bicycle network by purpose of use

Description:

In order to expand the existing national bicycle network in Slovenia, it is necessary to analyze the users of individual routes and thus design a network that can serve both daily commuting by bicycle and recreational cyclists. However, it often happens that the construction of bike lanes takes place only after the reconstruction of a single road, and then it is not an attractive solution for cyclists, who consequently prefer to avoid it. Lack of understanding of the different types of bicycle use, lack of understanding of the overall picture of daily mobility, lack of understanding of cyclist safety concerns, and purely technical construction of bike lanes or connections can translate into poor use of bicycle infrastructure, which is often reflected in the existing bike lanes and connections along Slovenian roads.

Today, the safety aspect is the basic starting point in the planning of cycling routes and connections, rather than the goal of planning cycling routes and connections. There are more and more bicycle connections that meet the current standards. It should be noted that cycling has great potential for human health, for improving the quality of life of individuals and society as a whole, and for developing sustainable mobility and thus reducing the carbon footprint. At the same time, cycling also offers great potential for promoting Slovenia as a destination primarily aimed at cyclists (road cycling, mountain biking, long-distance cycling, etc.).

Despite the efforts and efforts put into marking and building the national network of cycling routes in recent years, Slovenia is only now starting to build a unified database of cycling routes and connections. In the area of marketing, we are still far from ideal, because a tourist visiting Slovenia cannot get a comprehensive overview of the established cycling routes and connections in Slovenia in one place. An attempt to bundle information about cycling routes in Slovenia can be found on the website https://www.slovenia.info/sl/zgodbe/najlepse-kolesarske-poti, which brings together links to ten (according to the creators of the website, the most attractive) cycling routes. However, we still do not have a single entry point/platform where not only tourists but also everyday cyclists can find information about cycling routes and links, and this information is not structured according to the purpose or type of users.

The main problems that arise can be summarized in the following findings:

• In Slovenia, a unified record of bicycle routes and connections is still under development.
• There are a considerable number of websites with information about individual bicycle routes and connections, but we do not have a single entry point (website) where different users can get information about bicycle routes and connections in Slovenia. Classification of these routes and connections according to the purpose of use is also important.
• Planning of bicycle routes and connections is often done without clear goals and defined target groups of users, which consequently is reflected in the routing of the bicycle route itself, so it is necessary to review the existing standards for their planning.

Key objectives:

We can thus conclude that there are more and more well-signposted bicycle routes and connections in Slovenia, but they are still not classified according to the purpose and type of users. An increasingly pressing problem is also the fragmented information about bicycle routes and connections, which is why users often do not reach them at all.

The solution lies in defining bicycle routes and connections by purpose of use for daily mobility and tourism and by type of user. At the same time, bicycle routes must meet the needs of local communities and the daily lives of residents along the routes. It is especially important to offer additional activities for vulnerable groups and people with various disabilities. With bicycle routes, we can also effectively complement green infrastructure, support sustainable mobility and the reduction of noise and air pollution, as well as sustainable spatial development not only at the level of local communities, but also at the regional and national level.

According to the proposed classification, it will also be necessary to ensure the division of responsibilities (state, regional, local) with regard to the planning and construction and maintenance of bicycle paths and connections, as individual types of connections may overlap. One of the most important tasks is also the establishment of a unified application (common platform) across all bicycle connections.

Work packages:

WP 1: Detailed review of relevant literature and sources, as well as a number of examples of best practices at home and abroad
WP 2: Analysis of the situation from the point of view of classification of bicycle connections according to the purpose of use abroad
WP 3: Analysis of the situation from the point of view of classification of bicycle connections according to the purpose of use in Slovenia
WP 4: Synthesis of the analytical work (from DP2 and DP3)
WP 5: Proposed model of bicycle connections by purpose of use
WP 6: Dissemination of the results of the research project
WP 7: Organization of the research project