Multiannual Cycling Programme 2015-2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cycling Programme 2015-2018 June 2015 Municipality of The Hague Photography: Jurriaan Brobbel 2 MAKE WAY FOR THE BIKE 5 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 Retrospective 2011 to 2014 7 1.2 New Cycling Programme 2015 - 2018 8 1.3 Stakeholders call as input for the programme 9 1.4 Structure and reading guide 9 CHAPTER 2 POLICY 11 2.1 Reasons for promoting bicycle use 11 2.2 The Hague Cycling City 11 2.3 Promoting bicycle use 12 3.1 City centre 18 3.1.1 Expansion of parking capacity 18 3.1.2 Influencing bicycle parking behaviour 20 3.2 Residential areas and schools 21 3.2.2 Approach abandoned bicycles in residential areas 22 3.3 stations and tram stops 22 3.3.1 Expansion of storage capacity 22 3.3.2 Enforcement 24 3.4 Bicycle parking service level 24 3.5 Bicycle parking standards 25 CHAPTER 4 BICYCLE NETWORK 27 4.1 Realisation of star cycle routes 27 4.2 Resolving missing links on the main and recreational cycling routes 31 4.3 Bicycle unfriendly situations and school routes 32 4.4 Capacity and bicycle traffic flow 32 4.5 Converting tile paths to asphalt paths 33 4.6 Monitoring bicycle use and route choice 34 4.7 Evaluation cycling in the pedestrian area of the city centre 34 CHAPTER 5 PROMOTION, COMMUNICATION, CYCLING SKILLS AND THEFT PREVENTION 37 5.1 Communication and promotion 37 5.2 Cycling Skills and target group policy: safe cycling in the city 39 5.3 Prevention of bicycle theft 41 3 CHAPTER 6 FINANCES CYCLING PROGRAMME 2015-2018 43 6.1 Funding of the bicycle programme 43 6.2 Bicycle Sub programmes Spending 44 6.3 Management and exploitation bicycle parking 46 6.4 Closing words 47 Annex 1: Report of the Bicycle Stakeholder Meeting 2015-2018 48 Annex 2: Retrospective 2011 - 2014 53 Annex 3: Who does what to tackle bicycle theft 64 Annex 4: Reference images quality bicycle facilities 66 4 Make way for the bike The Hague cycles! In our green metropolis by the sea, the bicycle is the symbol of a healthy life. Ever more residents and visitors take to cycling. Between 2010 and 2014 the use of bicycles increased by 12%. The Hague is well on its way to becoming a true cycling city. That matters, because cycling is healthy, cheap and easy. Cycling has benefits on a social, societal and economic level. With the Cycling Programme 2015-2018 I present to you a course that makes way for the bike. The city is growing and the world around us is changing rapidly. New developments offer opportunities for further growth in bicycle use. Many young people do not want to own a car and the electric bicycle is emerging; increasingly the bike is replacing the car in the city. Cycling is part of a healthy lifestyle. As a municipality, we must respond creatively to the opportunities of this changing world. We will not do this alone, but together with the city. In preparation for this program extensive conversations with the city's stakeholders have taken place. A lot of innovative ideas and solutions emerged and are reflected in this policy document. This program is the result of good interaction with the city and just like cycling; you go faster alone, but further together. Together we will make an impact in the coming years. Together we will turn bicycle plans into bicycle paths. In this new Bicycle Programme are lofty ambitions with regards to bicycle parking, bicycle networks and further encouraging bicycle use. After all, in the green and diverse city of The Hague, the bicycle is the ideal means of transportation, for residents, professionals and tourists alike. In the coming years the city will work together to realise safe, recognisable and comfortable cycle routes to and through our beautiful city of peace and justice, complemented with contemporary (parking) facilities. Tom de Bruijn Alderman Traffic 5 6 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Retrospective 2011 to 2014 In recent years, the municipality of The Hague worked on the implementation of the Cycling programme 2011-2014 and made major investments to achieve the various objectives of this programme. This proved successful, because nearly all the objectives were achieved. These objectives relate to the following three themes: Bicycle parking facilities; Cycle Network; Promotion, communication and biking skills. Ultimately, the municipality of The Hague wants to try to get as many people as possible tot cycle. In The Hague Mobility Policy the goal is to increase bicycle use in the period 2010-2020 by 30% and in the period up to 2030 by 50%. The 'bike index' of The Hague shows that the number of cyclists in the past period has increased. For the period from 2010 there was an annual growth of 3%. If this trend continues the policy goals in 2020 will be met. Appendix 2 contains targets from the previous programme and describes the results. To achieve these results, the municipality has invested in bicycle parking facilities as well as in the bicycle network (creation of new bike paths and converting tile paths to asphalt). Below the investments per year are shown. Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 Total Investments € 8 million € 7 million € 7 million € 9½ million € 31.5 million approx. These investments are funded from multiple sources such as the Investment programme Cycling (MIP bike), the National Cooperation programme Air Quality, other municipal programmes and subsidies from the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague (formerly Haaglanden region), the Zuid-Holland province and the national government. The main conclusions with regard to the programme Cycling 2011-2014 are: Seven out of the nine goals for bicycle parking have been realised; Four out of the five objectives in the area of the bicycle network have been achieved; All objectives in terms of promotion, communication and skill have been achieved. Annex 2 is a breakdown of the previous programme describing the results. 7 1.2 New Cycling Programme 2015 - 2018 The previous programme expired in 2014 and will continue into this Bike 2015-2018. The starting point for this new multi- annual Bicycle is the Coalition Agreement 2014-2018: “Trusting in The Hague's Strength”. Under the heading “More room for the bicycle”, the following is stated: "Safe, recognisable and comfortable cycling facilities are the basis for further growth in bicycle use. There is an ambitious programme for the expansion and improvement of bicycle facilities, a number of star routes will be expanded this period, we will continue with the asphalting of bicycle paths and create more (free) parking facilities at stations in the centre and at the beach. Abandoned bicycles are addressed throughout the city and we are expanding the number of neighbourhood bike parking facilities and routes in areas such as the Stationsbuurt and Schilderswijk." These ambitions along with the focal points for the bicycle policy of The Hague Mobility Policy and the continuation of the bicycle policy of recent years are detailed in this new Cycling Programme 2015-2018. The three central themes from the previous Bicycle Programme will remain, in the interest of continuity, in this new multi-annual programme. These three themes have formed the basis of the cycling programme for many years and ensure a balanced programme in which the entire chain of the bike facilities is addressed. This relates to the following topics: Bicycle parking facilities; Cycle Network; Promotion, communication and biking skills. The approach for the coming period consists of three tracks. First, the plans of the past period are actually executed on the street. The second track is to finalise the plans already set in motion, but which were not yet financially covered. The third track finally, regards the start of the plan preparation of various new projects. With this approach, the municipality ensures that projects, which now only exist on paper, are actually achieved and that new projects are prepared. To realise the plans of the last period on the streets, funding is available from the previous Cycling programme 2011-2014. To further finalising plans put in motion and for the implementation of new cycling projects in this year’s programme Bicycle, new financial resources are required. Funding from various sources for this municipal budget is available. Besides the municipal contribution, co-financing from other (municipal) programmes and programmes from Metropolitan Region, Province and federal government is also necessary. Halfway through this Cycling Programme a review will be conducted to ensure that the three-pronged plan is on schedule. 8 1.3 Stakeholders call as input for the programme As discussed in the Council Committee on December 10, 2014 a meeting was held on June 2nd, 2015 with 40 stakeholders on the new Cycling Programme 2015-2018 (See Appendix 1 for a report of this meeting). The purpose of this meeting was to bring in ideas and solutions for the various bicycle issues in the city. These ideas and solutions are checked for feasibility, available financial resources, conflicting interests, opportunities for cooperation with other parties, etc. Many of these developments have found their way into this new Cycling Programme. The most important results from June 2, 2015 Cycling in The Hague is a hot topic with residents, businesses, retailers and other stakeholders. There seems to be a broad consensus about the unstoppable march of the bike in the streets of The Hague, with the electric bike obtaining an increasing share. The bike is essential for an accessible and liveable city. There is also consensus on the fact that the growth of bicycle use is to be welcomed, it is said; "Cyclists are in 1st place." However, it also concluded that the advance of the bicycle creates bottlenecks in the city.