Cycling on rural roads - removing barriers
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Statens Väg- & Transportforskningsinstitut - Statens väg- & transportforskningsinstitut VTI |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 949 750 |
| Project duration | November 2023 - October 2024 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Behavioral changes in the mobility system |
| Call | Human-centered mobility - The mobility system of the future based on human behavior and perception |
Important results from the project
A multidisciplinary approach was used to evaluate unsafe overtaking of cyclists in rural areas as an example of a barrier to increased active travel. The potential for rural road cycling is significant. An overtaking that is perceived as reassuring by most cyclists needs to take place with a lateral distance of at least 2.5-3 m and potentially a speed reduction. Several potential countermeasures were identified. The method is promising for investigating barrier effects for active travel.
Expected long term effects
The project´s results can inform how today´s law on safe overtaking is interpreted and be a base for possible rule changes. They can also contribute to cyclists´ needs being taken into account in the development of automated vehicles. The immersive environment was significant for the results and is also recommended for future studies. An expanded version of the method can provide a good basis for estimating the effects of various measures for increased active travel at the population level.
Approach and implementation
The project followed the plan and started with an inventory of the problem at the population level with a representative survey. Based on the results, a deeper analysis of the target – what constitutes a reassuring overtake – was carried out in an immersive cycling simulator with different target groups. Proposals for measures to achieve the target were drawn up in a stakeholder workshop. Finally, a GIS analysis was used to estimate the potential to scale up impacts to the population level.