1. sports
2. bicycling

THE CYCLING YEAR
ng improvements
A review of this year’s cycli
ATTITUDE SURVEYS, 2010–2014
Gothenburg residents answer questions about what they think of cycling in the city. The results are shown in the
form of percentages. To the right of each column is the average score, shown as a figure of between 1 and 10.
Disagree (1–3)
Neutral (4–6)
Agree (7–10)
”GOTHENBURG IS A CYCLE-FRIENDLY CITY”
2014
6
2013
5,9
2012
5,7
2011
6,1
2010
6,1
”MANY PEOPLE IN MY AREA OF THE CITY CYCLE”
2014
6
2013
5,7
2012
5,5
2011
5,9
2010
5,8
”GOTHENBURG IS WORKING TO INCREASE CYCLING LEVELS”
2014
6,5
2013
6,5
2012
5,8
2011
6
2010
6
”IT FEELS SAFE TO CYCLE HERE”
2014
4,9
2013
4,9
2012
4,6
2011
4,9
2010
4,9
2
OPINIONS
OF THE RESIDENTS OF GOTHENBURG
For the seventh year in a row City of Gothenburg Urban
Transport Administration carried out an annual survey
of what Gothenburg residents think about their city as
a place to cycle. In this year’s study all the results were
either unchanged or showed slight improvements compared with last year. “Gothenburg is working to increase
cycling” and “Improvements for cyclists make the city
more attractive,” were the indicators which scored most
highly, and have also shown a positive trend in recent
years. In others words, residents are overwhelmingly
positive to the development of Gothenburg as a city
for cyclists.
The question regarding how safe people felt when
cycling was the one which showed the lowest levels of
satisfaction. In the new Cycle Programme of the Urban
Transport Administration for 2015 to 2025, traffic safety
has shaped our planning. Among other important measures, it has been proposed to increase segregation between bikes and motor vehicles and between cyclists and
pedestrians. Easily-understood infrastructure design,
along with clear traffic regulations, means that cyclists
are more likely to comply with rules and to feel more
safe and secure. You can download the whole survey
as a pdf at goteborg.se/cykla under the tab Fakta om
cykelstaden.
”IMPROVEMENTS FOR CYCLISTS
MAKE THE CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE”
Average: 6,6
Agree (7–10)
Neutral (4–6)
Disagree (1–3)
3
THIS IS A CITY FOR
CYCLISTS
!
THE CITY OF GOTHENBURG: THIS IS OUR PRIORITY
Our top priority is to increase the use of sustainable forms of transport.
There will be a fall in car use while public transport, cycling and walking will increase.
During the year a proposal for a new Cycle Programme for Gothenburg was sent out for consultation,
and a decision will be taken in early 2015. The Cycle Programme will take concrete action to implement
an altered view of the role of the bicycle in city traffic. It contains goals, strategies and measures for how
Gothenburg shall become an attractive city for cyclists. The goal is to greatly increase the number of journeys by bike. The Cycle Programme describes measures affecting Gothenburg’s cycle network including
routes and accessibility, maintenance and operations, support and services, communication and analyses.
During 2014, spending on cycling was 47 million SEK.
CYCLING CONTINUES TO INCREASE
In recent years the Urban Transport Administration has
done a lot to increase the number of cycle journeys in
the city.
In comparison with 2013, the number of cyclists in central Gothenburg in 2014 increased by three per cent over
the summer and by four per cent over the year as a whole.
The sharp increase in the number of cycle journeys in
2013 was not only maintained, but increased slightly. During 2014 there was a significant increase in the number
of bike loans through the Styr & Ställ bike hire scheme,
and 59 per cent more bikes were borrowed than in 2013.
4
BIKE HIRE
In August 2010 the Styr & Ställ bike hire scheme was established, and since then more and more cycle stations
have been added. The purpose of the scheme is to highlight the bicycle as a useful complement to public transport in the city centre.
In 2014, the price of a season card was cut from 125 SEK
to 75 SEK. The season was also extended by a month and
now runs from 1 March to 31 December. These changes
affected the type of card customers bought – sales of season cards almost doubling while sales of three-day cards
fell slightly. In total, 28,000 season cards were sold and
668,000 cycle journeys made during the year. Overall the
trend is clear: the number of cycle journeys is rising faster
than the number of users, meaning that customers are
using the scheme more often. The scheme has been extremely successful and during the five years it has been
in operation people have made almost 1.5 million
cycle journeys.
New cycle stations opened during the year but because
of building work in the city some others were forced to
close, meaning that the total number of stations at the
end of 2014 was the same as in the previous year – 60.
The greatly increased use of hire bikes means that there
are several stations which are under a lot of pressure
and work is underway to try to extend existing stations.
Demand on one of the busiest stations in the scheme,
Gårdatorget, has been eased by the opening of a new
station on Åvägen.
During 2014 Gothenburg started up a joint project with
Elmob in the field of electric-powered transport and in
2015 solar-powered electric cycles will be available on
Hisingen and in the central city.
668 000
NUMBER OF TIMES BIKES HIRED SINCE
SCHEME STARTED
BIKE HIRE 2010 – 2014
1.5 million
421 000
185 000
201 000
12 000
2010
5
2011
2012
2013
2014
ACCESSIBLE:
ATTRACTIVE CYCLE WAYS AND A
MORE CLOSELY CONNECTED CITY
!
THE CITY OF GOTHENBURG: THIS IS OUR AIM
Gothenburg will become a city for cyclists by building a connected network with direct, welldefined and clearly-marked cycle and pedestrian ways and by providing up-to-date traffic
information. These ways will span the river and be clearly signposted. Safety for cyclists
must be given higher priority. Cycle garages and parking facilities are necessary for
Gothenburg to become an attractive city for cyclists. Cycling conditions in Gothenburg
will allow residents to cycle all year.
Gothenburg’s cycle network can be divided into main cycle ways, general cycle ways and local cycle ways.
Above you can see the city’s main cycle network. During the year consultations have been held on a proposal for a new Cycle Programme, and a decision will be taken in early 2015. The aim is that the number
of cyclists will triple by 2025 and that it will be quick, easy and safe to cycle in Gothenburg. While waiting for the new Cycle Programme, we continue to follow one from 1999 where the priorities are to create
attractive cycle routes and a better-connected city for cyclists. Since 2000 the focus has been on building
a more cohesive cycle network, designing safer traffic solutions and creating a network of main cycle
ways. We also continue to adjust and improve the existing cycling infrastructure.
6
BETTER ACCESSIBILITY FOR CYCLISTS
During the year, a change in traffic regulations made it
possible to cycle against the prevailing traffic flow in
more one-way streets. In 2014, this was allowed both on
Fjärde Långgatan and Frigångsgatan. A follow-up study
of cycle traffic on Andra Långgatan, where two-way cycle
traffic has been allowed since 2013, was carried out during
the year. It showed that the number of cyclists on the
street had almost doubled.
Two-way cycle ways have been built on Södra vägen
and Berzeliigatan. They have improved accessibility in
the centre of the city and connected cycle routes, simplifying journeys for cyclists. A two-way cycle and pedestrian way was built along the north side of Marklandsgatan, making a short-cut between existing cycle ways
on Dag Hammarskjöldsleden and Högsboleden.
The re-building of the cycle way between the Casino
and the Opera was completed. Pedestrians and cyclists
are now better segregated, improving both accessibility
and safety. In connection with the Marieholm tunnel
project, new pedestrian and cycle ways have been built
on Partihandelsgatan, Falutorget and Gullbergsvassgatan
to increase accessibility. The new Cycling Programme
will stress the importance of segregating pedestrian and
cycle traffic and the Urban Transport Authority will
ensure this happens.
On page 21 you will find more information on cycling
improvements carried out in 2014.
BUILDING WORK AFFECTS CYCLISTS
Gothenburg’s Urban Transport Authority continues to
focus on cyclist safety. The coming years will see several
major building projects which will affect accessibility
and safety, and will require even clearer directions for
cyclists. Different studies have facilitated the identification of a number of important safety factors, including
improved signposting and the design of temporary
diversions around building sites.
CROSSING THE RIVER
THE CYCLE NETWORK
To enable cyclists to cross the river Göta älv more easily,
the number of ferries taking bikes between Rosenlund
and Lindholmen increased in April 2011. Travel on the
Älvsnabbare ferry (line 286) between Lindholm pier and
Rosenlund is free. You can use Västtrafiks tickets on the
Älvsnabben ferry (line 285) and you can also take your
bike, as long as there is space on board.
The cycle network has increased from around 360 km
of separate cycle ways in 1999 to around 495 km in 2014.
If you include the 159 km of shared-use streets (where
speed limits are 30 kph), and the approximately 150 km
of local cycle ways, the network is 804 km long. You can
compare this with the cycle networks of Stockholm
(767 km) and Malmö (496 km).
7
AVAILABLE
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
FOR CYCLISTS
and Lindholmsallén. They are well-used. Since its installation, the pump on Vasagatan has been used around
437,000 times.
Besides the public cycle pumps installed by the Urban
Transport Administration, there are also pumps at places
like petrol stations and convenience stores. There is also
a partnership with cycle shops and service stations to
provide facilities where cyclists can pump up their tyres
and borrow basic tools to carry out a simple service. The
use of the pumps and tools is free for cyclists. All these
points are marked with the yellow bike symbol. You can
also find details in the Urban Transport Administration
app, Cykelstaden.
To make things easier for cyclists, the Urban Transport
Administration has developed a number of services providing information on cycle ways and service points.
It also offers the opportunity to hire a bike in the city
centre, 24 hours a day.
THE CYCLE TRIP PLANNER
You can find our web-based Cycle Trip Planner on
www.trafiken.nu. Among other things, you can use it
to plan trips in the Västra Götaland and Halland regions.
It provides suggestions for routes, says how long they
are and estimates the time the journey will take. The
routes are described in words, and also show contour
lines. It includes information on cycle parking, service
points, public cycle pumps and cycle ways and the Styr
& Ställ bike hire scheme. In 2014, the Cycle Trip Planner
had approximately 60,000 unique visitors.
CYCLE MAP
The cycle map was updated this year and apart from
giving the location of bike-hire stations and public cycle
pumps it also provides information about the city’s Urban
Transport Administration app, Cykelstaden. Demand
for maps remains high – during 2014 over 43,000 were
distributed. Among other places, they are available at
tourist bureaus, hotels, libraries and cycle shops.
PUBLIC CYCLE PUMPS AND
SERVICE POINTS
In November 2009, the Urban Transport Administration
launched a new type of public cycle pump on Vasagatan
and since then, a further 15 pumps have been installed.
The pumps are located in the city centre and at strategic
points such as Angered centre, Hjalmar Brantingsplatsen
8
TELL THE CONTACT CENTRE
Every year the Contact Centre receives many calls to do with cycling – everything from the
standard of cycle ways, to public cycle pumps, to questions about traffic. Customer Service
also provides cycle maps and route descriptions. During 2014 they received 2581 telephone
calls and emails to do with cycling and cycle ways.
CYCLE PARKING
We will continue our expansion of bicycle parking facilities, focusing mainly on the city centre and public transport hubs. During the year, around 500 new cycle racks
were created, of which 290 are in the city centre. In total
there are now approximately 8500 cycle racks in the
centre of Gothenburg where bike frames can be locked
to the racks themselves.
X 8 500
THE CYKELSTADEN APP
The app Cykelstaden was developed by the Urban Transport Administration, and makes life easier for the cyclist.
It was used by around 13,000 cyclists in 2014. The app
allows you to plan your journey with the help of the Cycle
Trip Planner. It also helps you find service points included in the city’s cycle network, Styr & Ställ bike hire
stations, public cycle pumps and cycle parking. You can
use the app’s Felanmälan function to report damage,
faults or obstacles on cycle ways, as well as giving suggestions as to improvements. During the year, 794
reports were made.
The news in 2014 is that the app, Cycle Trip Planner,
functions in the same way as it does on trafiken.nu. There
is also an additional new function, Min cykeltur, (My
ride) where you can see how far you have cycled and
how long it took. You can even see your route plotted
on a map.
In the spring, two students from Chalmers University
of Technology were assigned to the Urban Transport
Administration as part of their course. With the help of
some of the data from the new Min cykeltur function
they could work out average speeds on Nya Allén, bottle
necks etc. Their analyses indicate that data from Min
cykeltur can be used as a tool to learn more about how,
where and when people use their bikes – information
which can form the basis for future cycle planning.
9
TRAFFIC SAFETY
AND SECURITY
The number of cyclists seriously injured or killed has fallen by 75 per cent since the early 1990s. However,
around 2011 the trend changed. The reduction in the number of people injured in traffic started to even
out, as did the number of cyclists injured. Unfortunately, the number of moderately or severely injured
cyclists rose in 2014 compared with 2013. By far the most common type of cycle accident, almost 80 per
cent in 2014, did not involve any other vehicle. Studies show that approximately half of these single cycle
accidents were caused by issues related to road conditions, including road design and maintenance.
Other causes of accidents were cyclist behaviour and faults with the bike itself. The number of serious
injuries did not increase in 2014, but one cyclist was killed.
In the new Cycle Programme a number of areas have been defined as being particularly important in
creating a safer environment for cyclists. During the year the increase in the number of accidents will
be analyzed and possible areas for improvement identified. A primary area is the segregation of cycle
and car traffic. Where there is a mix of road users, car speeds must be low. Safety increases when traffic
systems are clearly defined and cyclists are given sufficient space. Other important considerations include clear traffic regulations and better maintenance of cycle ways, both in summer and winter.
USE OF CYCLE HELMETS
For many years the Urban Transport Administration has
measured helmet use every August and September by
counting the number of cyclists wearing a helmet as
they pass by 18 specific locations in the city. The study
is carried out three times at each place, both in the morning and the afternoon. The result is clear – the use of
cycle helmets is growing steadily, from slightly less than
ten per cent when surveys started in the early 1990s,
to 65 per cent in 2014.
The Swedish National Road and Transport Research
Institute (VTI) measures cycle helmet use each year in
Sweden. According to their 2013 measurements, when
looking at school children between the ages of six and
fifteen Gothenburg had the highest figure for the use
of cycle helmets, at almost 91 per cent. In Stockholm
73 per cent of children between those ages wore a
helmet, while the figure in Malmö was 42 per cent.
use approved cycle lights. Since measurements began in
2006 the trend has been positive and the proportion of
cyclists using approved lights has generally risen every
year. In 2014, 82 per cent of cyclists were correctly equipped, compared with 70 per cent when studies began.
ICSC – THE WORLD’S LARGEST INTERNATIONAL CYCLE SAFETY CONFERENCE
The International Cycling Safety Conference, ICSC, was
held at Lindholmen Science Park on 18 and 19 November
this year. The ICSC is a knowledge-based forum whose
long-term aim is to increase awareness of traffic safety
issues. The City of Gothenburg hosted the conference,
with Chalmers University of Technology, and SAFER.
The conference participants came from Europe, Asia,
Australia and the US. The agenda was packed with interesting lectures and presentations of new information
on a wide range of subjects including electric cycles,
behavioural science, and the risks of injury.
USE OF CYCLE LIGHTS
For the ninth year in a row, the Urban Transport Administration carried out a study to find out how many cyclists
10
CYCLE THEFT
As more people cycle, bike theft increases and in 2014
almost 18 per cent more bicycles were stolen than in
2013. One way of preventing bike theft is to lock cycles
properly. In 2014 500 new bike racks were built. The
design allows cyclists to lock their bikes onto the racks.
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS
The Urban Transport Administration stipulates that
snow removal should start when more than two or three
centimetres of snow has fallen, and it should be cleared
away within six hours of stopping. Snow removal is always followed by de-icing treatment. The gravel used
(size 2–5 mm) minimises cyclist discomfort and the risk
of punctures. The main cycle way network has priority
and extra resources ensure that snow clearing and deicing are carried out quickly.
During 2014 we have also tested sweeping and salting
the main cycle way network, and cycle ways in Angered.
This method means that after the snow has been swept
away, a salt solution is sprayed on the road surface.
This makes the use of wood shavings unnecessary and
reduces the use of salt. On many other major cycle ways
salt is used as a complement to gravel, which improves
cyclist comfort. Sweeping/cleaning of cycle ways is
carried out once a week in the city centre, and once every
two weeks in the rest of the cycle network after the snow
has gone. Sand and grit on cycle ways is removed at the
latest by 15 April, but if the weather is favourable the
process can start in March.
The Urban Transport Administration carries out maintenance on Gothenburg’s cycle ways. Maintenance work
is carried out at different intervals, depending on the
activity. In addition to the 495 km of cycle ways that the
Urban Transport Administration is responsible for, there
are many cycle ways in residential areas and parks, where
responsibility for operation and maintenance lies with
Park- och naturförvaltningen (Parks and Gardens Division). The Swedish Road Administration has responsibility for cycle ways along road 155 and across Älvsborg
bridge. Maintenance activities include the inspection
and monitoring of cycle ways, winter road maintenance,
cleaning, maintaining road surfaces, traffic lights and
street lighting, and also the removal of vegetation. During
2014, approximately 62,200 sq m of cycle ways were
re-surfaced, an increase of 27,200 on 2013.
Total expenditure on the maintenance and operation
of cycle ways during 2014 was 32.6 m SEK. Of the total
sum, planned maintenance of road surfaces came to
around 4.7 m SEK.
In Gothenburg, winter maintenance consists of snow
removal and spreading gravel or salt to prevent skidding.
INSPECTION AND MONITORING
The city’s cycle ways are regularly inspected and monitored, usually every one or two months during the year,
depending on the area. Damage to a cycle way includes
holes, subsidence, cracks or raised kerbs and if it poses
a road safety risk, it is rectified within one day after it is
reported. Otherwise, depending on the type of damage,
it is fixed within two or three weeks or during checks at
fixed times during the year. The inspection process is
carried out in a motor vehicle, but may be supplemented
by a bike inspection to learn first-hand about cyclists’
needs and the quality of the cycle ways.
11
A REAL BOOST FOR
CYCLING!
Those of you who have been following the statistics in recent years will
have noticed a clear trend towards alternative forms of transport. Cycling
is gaining a lot of ground and in 2014 figures rose sharply. Over 100,000
journeys by bike are made in our city – every day! But there is also a more
depressing trend – the numbers of accidents and thefts have been keeping
pace with the rise in cycle use.
MAJOR CITIES' CYCLE NETWORKS IN KILOMETRES
804 KM
GÖTEBORG
767 KM
STOCKHOLM
496 KM
MALMÖ
100
D
N
A
S
U
O
TH
U
OT H E N B
EYS IN G !
N
R
U
O
J
DAY
BIKE
– E V E RY
RG
CYCLING INCREASES
= SAFETY INCREASES*
CYCLE THEFTS
2 531
2 551
2 798
3 738
4 404
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
The more people who cycle, the fewer the accidents. The
Dutch, who cycle more than any other nation on earth,
can prove it. There are several reasons. One is that when
there are so many bikes, other road users are forced to
change their behaviour. Also, more and more people
have experience of cycling themselves. And, when car
numbers drop, there is also a lower risk of conflicts
between cycle and motor traffic.
* ”Cycling in the Netherlands”, Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat
(The Netherlands Ministry of Transport)
65 %
MEANS OF TRANSPORT USED
BY GOTHENBURG RESIDENTS
2014
OF GOTHENBURG CYCLISTS
WEAR A HELMET
41%
28 %
7%
24 %
82%
OF GOTHENBURG CYCLISTS
USE LIGHTS
29%
INCREASE IN CYCLING
SINCE 2011!
NUMBERS OF INJURED/KILLED IN CYCLE ACCIDENTS
500
Minor injuries
Moderate injuries
400
Severe injuries
Fatalities
300
200
100
2010
** Preliminary figures 22-01-2015
2011
2012
2013
2014**
0
THE GOTHENBURG
CYCLIST
– INCREASING THE WILL TO CYCLE
The Urban Transport Administration is continuously working on ways to encourage Gothenburg residents
to take up cycling and during the year it initiated a number of activities to draw attention to cycling. It
provided information to, and conducted a dialogue with, Gothenburg residents who already cycled – but
its activities also included people who might decide to start in the future. Here are some of the things
that happened in 2014.
FREE FITNESS HOLIDAY WITH URBAN
TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION
PHOTO EXHIBITION
How can you get people to choose the bike instead of the
car? Can you get people who would like to exercise a bit
more to squeeze in a little more physical training into
their hectic lives? Fitness holidays are very hot right now,
but we know of smarter and cheaper ways to get fit. We
at the Urban Transport Administration built a pop-uptravel bureau as part of our Träningsresan (Fitness Holiday) campaign, where people could find out about good
cycle routes all over the city, how long they take to complete, and how many calories cyclists burn. We also gave
out juice, resekatalogen (holiday brochure), a cycle map
and a puncture repair kit. But the most important thing
was that our message was heard – You can go on a
fitness holiday whenever you like. And it’s free!
On 27 May a photo exhibition, Stadens cyklister (City
cyclists), opened in Slottskogen. It was made up of pictures of passionate cyclists – young and old, women and
men. Every cyclist was immortalized in a black and white
photo in a different place in the city, some in a blizzard,
others under cherry trees in full bloom. Each of the
twenty large pictures told a story about one particular
cyclist. Apart from Slottskogen, during Kulturkalaset
(Gothenburg Culture Festival) the photos were exhibited
on Vasagatan and during European Mobility Week they
were shown in Bältesspännarparken. During the autumn
Gothenburg Car Parks showed many of the pictures,
along with information about cycle parking. The attention of many Gothenburg residents was caught by these
striking photos.
15
THE CYCLE-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE
Since 2002 the Urban Transport Administration has been
working to build relationships with employers in order
to give them information and inspiration about the benefits of increased cycling among their employees.
To encourage all workplaces to make it easy for employees to decide to cycle, in 2013 the Urban Transport
Administration established the Cycle-friendly Workplace
award, open to all workplaces in Gothenburg with at least
ten employees. There are three levels (signified by one
to three stars) depending on how many criteria the workplace fulfils. And in 2014 a new award was introduced
– Rookie of the Year.
Checking the entries continued until August, and in
September Gothenburg’s Cycle-friendly Workplace
awards were announced. In 2014, 151 workplaces signed
up, 50 more than the previous year. Of the participant
organizations 123 achieved star status. No fewer than
51 workplaces were awarded one star, 41 workplaces two
stars and 31 workplaces three stars. From the three-star
category a jury with representatives from the world of
business, cycle organizations and the City of Gothenburg,
chose Gothenburg’s most Cycle-friendly Workplace, and
Rookie of the Year. The jury also selected The Year’s Best
Cycling Idea, which was open to all companies that fulfilled the competition criteria.
A study carried out in the autumn showed that participating in the Cycle-friendly Workplace award scheme
had a positive effect on many small companies. Over half
thought that more people had started to cycle to and from
work and over 70 per cent considered that taking part in
the scheme had brought benefits to cyclists.
16
ENCOURAGEMENT ALONG THE
(CYCLE) WAY
TQ
The hostile atmosphere on Gothenburg streets where
motorists, cyclists and pedestrians were clearly irritated
by each other, needed a solution. Following traffic regulations was one thing, but perhaps more TQ was necessary? TQ stands for traffic intelligence and it is about
putting yourself in other road-users’ shoes. The TQ
campaign took to the streets in November and December. The Urban Transport Administration also took the
opportunity to appear in a series of radio programmes
on Mix Megapol, discussing behaviour in traffic and talking with Gothenburg residents about the negativity on
our roads. Two key words were stressed – consideration
and respect in traffic.
Thousands of brave Gothenburg residents defy fatigue
and bad weather to cycle to work every day. To show
their appreciation, employees from the Urban Transport
Administration were out at dawn three times during the
year, equipped with breakfast bags, cycle pumps and
lots of enthusiasm. In January, winter cyclists received
a warm reception both in the morning and in the afternoon. In total, 600 goody bags were distributed.
A rainy morning in April, it was time again. On this
occasion, Urban Transport Administration thanked
almost 500 people. It was raining again in October, when
our employees took up position on Redbergsvägen. Almost 600 morning commuters stopped, had some breakfast and took the chance to service their bikes and to say
what they thought about cycling in Gothenburg
17
18
EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK
ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET
During its annual European Mobility Week in September,
Urban Transport Administration erected its Cycle Centre
in Bältespännarparken. The Cycle Centre had earlier
been used in the Lätta ditt cykelhjärta (Tell us what you
think) campaign on Gustav Adolfs Square, where residents had been invited to say what they thought should
be done for cyclists in the city. The Cycle Centre is a
mobile structure, but it is sturdy and spacious with plenty
of room for discussions and inspiring displays on the
walls. On Saturday 20 September, passers-by in Bältespännarparken were invited to a picnic and to learn
about what the Urban Transport Administration does.
Many people took the chance to express their views and
to find out how Gothenburg is working towards getting
more people to use alternative forms of transport.
The On Your Own Two Feet campaign in schools was
designed by the Urban Transport Administration to encourage pupils from grades 4 to 6 to get used to using
sustainable forms of transport. The challenge was to
bring about an increase in walking, cycling and taking
public transport to school rather than using cars. In 2014,
228 classes and 5371 pupils participated. During the five
weeks of the challenge pupils travelled 16184 km and
saved 28.8 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In order to
achieve better levels of knowledge and longer term awareness, the challenge also included a large number of activities to do with the environment, health and road safety.
MEDIA ATTENTION
An analysis of media attention showed that information
from the Urban Transport Administration was widely
reported, particularly in the local press. In general the
130 press clips analyzed had a neutral tone and focused
on subjects the Urban Transport Administration wanted
to publicize, including activities they had carried out,
the increasing number of cyclists in Gothenburg and
the use of new technology. Over the year, buying such
publicity in the form of advertising would have cost
around 40 million SEK.
MANY EVENTS IN TOWN
During the year, the Urban Transport Administration
worked hard to raise the profile of cycling. The Lätta ditt
cykelhjärta (Tell us what you think) campaign continued
to collect comments and views. And on several occasions
in the spring, the Urban Transport Administration was
out and about talking about cycling. They were in Nordstan and at Ullevi stadium with Göteborgsgirot and at
Kanaltorget with Hisingens Cycle Club. In the autumn
they met students from Chalmers University of Technology and helped arrange cycle tours as part of a welcome
programme for new students. They also tested eight new
types of street lighting equipment on the cycle way along
Dag Hammarskjöldsleden with the help of cyclists who
had registered on Facebook. Not only that, but the Cykelstaden app was developed and the förlivochrörelse.se
website launched.
COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
In 2014 approximately 5.4 m SEK was spent on different
campaigns and activities. This included spreading information about cycling to workplaces, students and other
Gothenburg residents.
19
IMPROVEMENTS
IN 2014
The west side of Östra Hamngatan was re-built
to make a bicycle speed street, as was done on
Västra Hamngatan in 2013.
In connection with the Marieholm tunnel project,
new pedestrian and cycle ways were built along
Partihandelsgatan, Falutorget and Gullbergsvassgatan to increase accessibility.
A two-way cycle way was built along the east
side of Södra Vägen between Engelbrektsgatan
and Korsvägen.
New lighting for cycle ways:
- several new street lights added to existing lighting on the west side of Dag Hammarskjöldsleden
A two-way cycle way was built along the north
side of Berzeliigatan between Södra Vägen and
Sten Sturegatan.
- on Säröbanan on a level with Järkholmen
- on Säröbanan at the end of Matildehemsvägen
- on the cycle way from Lilla Bulyckevägen, in the
direction of Nya Älvegårdsvägen
A new pedestrian and cycle way was built along
the east side of Marklandsgatan northern stretch,
between the existing pedestrian and cycle ways
on Dag Hammarskjöldsleden and Högsboleden.
- on the cycle way from Orrekulla Industrigata
to Kärravägen
- on the south-west side of Bräckemotet (in partnership with Swedish Transport Administration)
A new pedestrian and cycle way was built along
the north side of Musikvägen, between Mandolingatan och Ruddalens sports centre.
- on an unlit stretch from the tunnel under the
motorway to Rödbo Idrottsgata
The cycle way between the Casino and the Opera
was rebuilt, so there is now better segregation of
pedestrians and cyclists.
- where the cycle way crosses Minelundsvägen
On the north side of Rappedalsvägen a two-way
cycle way link was built.
- Fjärde Långgatan, between Linnégatan
and Värmlandsgatan
- Frigångsgatan, between Landsvägsgatan
and Linnégatan
- Lyckans Väg, between Viktor Rydbergsgatan
and Olof Wijksgatan
New places where there are now two-way
cycle ways:
The cycle crossing at Ullevigatan/Parkgatan/Nya
Allén was widened.
Waiting time for cyclists at traffic lights at
Redbergsvägen–Bauersgatan was halved.
(There are already 180 stretches of two-way cycle
routes in Gothenburg.)
The cycle way at Vasagatan was given a new road
surface and improved lighting.
21
22
2015?
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN
2015 is going to be an exciting year for cyclists! Here is a foretaste:
■■
The new Cycle Plan will be ready during the year.
■■
■■
eneral guidelines applying to road works and how
G
they should be signposted will be adjusted to meet
the needs of cyclists.
est and north Hisingen will get new road signW
posting, giving Gothenburg a comprehensive
cycle way signage system.
■■
now clearance trials on main cycle ways are set to
S
continue. Instead of snow being shovelled or ploughed and salt being spread, snow is now brushed away
and a salt solution sprayed on the road surface.
■■
uilding/re-building of cycle ways and pedestrian
B
and cycle ways:
■■
ew rules governing road closure around building
N
sites will also include rules about the closure or
diversion of cycle ways.
■■
ew Styr & Ställ bike hire stations will be built durN
ing the year. New stations are planned for Chalmers
södra, Masthuggstorget, Värmlandsgatan–Tredje
Långgatan and Värmlandsgatan/Masthamnsgatan.
■■
continuing dialogue with all Gothenburg residents
A
about road user behaviour, focusing on key words
– consideration and respect.
■■
joint project involving housing association owners
A
in Kvillebäcken on Hisingen gives residents access
to six electric delivery bikes.
■■
■■
■■ Joint financing of the Swedish Transport Administra-
■■
■■
here will be a pilot project involving an electric
T
bike pool. The pool will have places for bikes in the
central city and at Lindholmen Science Park, and
involves 16 electric-driven cycles. The cycles will
be powered by solar energy generated by solar cells
located at Lindholmen Science Park.
■■
■■
■■
ore cycle parks are planned in the city centre and
M
at public transport hubs, and a cycle parking tower
with 150 places will be built at Drottningtorget.
tion’s construction of pedestrian and cycle ways on
Tuvevägen, between Norrleden and Kongahällavägen,
Ellesbovägen, between Kärra and Stora Mysternavägen
and Gråbovägen, between Gunnilse and Björsared
New pedestrian and cycle way along Gibraltargatan
between the entrance to Fysiken (Mossen bus stop)
and Dr Forselius backe.
Olskroken. Commuter cycle way built along Martin
Anderssons gata/E20. Connected to Redbergsvägen.
Redbergsvägen. Between Danska vägen and Kobbarnas
väg, commuter cycling routes extended, with single/
two-lane cycle ways and bicycle boulevards.
Road safety measures introduced at several places
on existing cycle ways.
Evaluation of lighting of cycle ways:
■■ Continued testing and evaluation of lighting levels
and street lighting equipment on the cycle way from
Marklandsgatan 59 along the west side of Dag Hammarskjöldsleden in the direction of Hovås.
23
The Urban Transport Administration is working continuously
to make Gothenburg an attractive city for cyclists. Every year
it presents a summary of all cycle-related improvements carried
out during the year. This year’s edition of the Cycling Year tells
you what Gothenburg residents think of their city as a place for
cyclists and describes developments in safety and accessibility.
In addition it provides information on services being developed
to help cyclists, as well as outlining some of the most important
cycling events from 2014. It also gives a little foretaste of what
2015 holds!