VM Visit to Utrecht: Traffic Shift with a Clear Focus on Bicycles

The old parts of Utrecht with their narrow streets are barely suitable for car traffic anyway. But even the area around the modern main railway station with some skyscrapers is almost car-free. There are wide cycle paths - and streets that are almost exclusively used by city buses.

Safety for Cyclists Already in Traffic Planning

Many planning measures to increase safety for cyclists have not proven effective in practice. Instead of protected cycle paths and fewer areas for car traffic, German authorities have primarily relied on marking solutions in the past. Thus, cycle lanes often end abruptly, lead over traffic islands or intersections, and are often unclear. This hardly creates incentives to leave the car and take the bicycle. The number of fatal bicycle accidents is higher in Germany than in the Netherlands or Denmark. Only a few cities like Freiburg, Münster, or Göttingen have very good infrastructure.

Not only the actual accident frequency is relevant. Near collisions, so-called "Near Misses", are much more common than actual accidents. These significantly influence individual feelings of safety. The accident research of German insurers also confirms that this sense of insecurity is justified in a study published in 2019: Interviews and measurements in 13 German cities painted a bleak picture. Numerous motor vehicles ignore bike lanes, overtake too closely, or block the paths by illegal parking.

Rethinking in the Netherlands already in the 80s

Industrialization and rising prosperity in the 1960s and 70s also led to an increase in car ownership in the Netherlands. With the growing individual traffic, the number of traffic fatalities rose dramatically. In 1971, 3,300 people died on Dutch roads, including 400 children. In 2017, there were only 613 deaths on Dutch roads (3.6 traffic fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants – for comparison: Germany: 3.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, a total of 3,180 deaths). The high number of children killed at that time triggered massive waves of protests. Under the motto “Stop the Child Murder,” the demonstrators called for a traffic change. The oil crisis led to a rethinking of previously car-centered Dutch policies. A bicycle-friendly course and car-free Sundays marked the beginning, with many cities subsequently banning cars from city centers and investing in bicycle paths. Safety increased – and with it the number of cyclists.

Consistent Separation of Car Traffic

Only a consistent separation from car traffic can help. This is the only way to reduce dangers from parked cars or opening car doors. Staggered green phases, where cyclists get green lights earlier than cars, can help as much as redesigned intersections. This way, right-turning drivers can better see cyclists who would otherwise be in their blind spot. Amsterdam and Copenhagen are considered pioneers in bicycle safety. Although cyclists account for about one-third to 45 percent of road users, the number of accidents is approximately 90 percent lower than in Germany.