Based on the results of the round table on development of cycling and cycling infrastructure within the framework of the International Innovative Forum of Public Transport “SmartTRANSPORT” held on June 21st, 2019 the lead partner of the project "Cycling" prepared a resolution.
The text of the resolution is available below.
Taking into consideration reports delivered and discussed at the round table on development of cycling and cycling infrastructure participants agreed on the following:
1. Bicycle should be integrated into the transport system of the Russian Federation as a full-fledged mean of transportation. In order to achieve this, a complex approach targeted at balanced interconnected development of three main following pillars should be implemented:
- hardware (cycling infrastructure, traffic system maintenance);
- humanware (established behavioral stereotypes and overall outlook, education of traffic participants);
- management (organization and legal regulations alongside with united actions of parties interested in development of cycling).
2. In regards with development of hardware component was mentioned the following:
1) Adaptation of cycling infrastructure to meet cyclists’ requirements is a key for development and safety of this type of transport;
2) Consideration of cycling routes in the process of city planning, design and elaboration of Programs of Complex Development of Transport Infrastructure (PCDTI) and Complex Traffic Management Schemes (CTMS) is an essential factor for provision of sustainable development of transport systems;
3) To strengthen positive impact on development of cycling infrastructure in the process of elaboration of PCDTI and CTMS it is important to mind and implement the following:
in the process of elaboration of plans and schemes for development of cycling infrastructure results of statistical analysis of cycling traffic, scientific and sociologic researches and real needs of users of cycling infrastructure, determined on the basis of involvement of public representatives and cycling communities, should be taken into account;
in the process of development of cycling infrastructure connectedness and integrity of cycling network must be achieved through coherent implementation of established plans and development schemes;
to consider as early as at the stage of design convenience of subsequent maintenance of cycling infrastructure being created;
considering active development of cycling tourism, to pay attention to design and construction of safe high-quality infrastructure for city, intercity and inter-regional tourist cycling routes including convenient bicycle approaches to sights and information guidance along tourist routes;
to recognize as obligatory legislative consolidation of the obligation to create elements of the bicycle infrastructure in territorial planning and design documents;
to recommend to the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation to take into account, in terms of legislative activities, the possibility of introducing further additions and changes to regulatory acts aimed at creating conditions for development of cycling and cycling infrastructure in the Russian Federation, including amendments to the City Planning Code of the Russian Federation, Federal Law dated December 29, 2017 № 443-FZ “On organization of road traffic in the Russian Federation and introducing amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation” and Federal Law dated November 8, 2007 № 257-FZ “On roads and road activities in the Russian Federation and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation”.
3. Regarding humanware component was stated the following:
Despite noticeable growth in number of cyclists, they are still not treated as equal participants of roads traffic. Lack of established proper behavioral patterns and insufficient knowledge of traffic rules, in particular concerning bicycles, by car-drivers, cyclists and pedestrians lead to increase in number of accidents involving cyclists. In order to overcome the current situation it is required:
to integrate learning of bike riding skills and traffic rules into school education programs;
to introduce learning of proper interaction with cyclists on roads into driving school education programs and exams;
to oblige bike rental points to instruct people who rent bicycles on traffic rules;
to conduct seasonal (from May till September) campaigns to promote safe and responsible behavior on roads for car-drivers and cyclists;
to strengthen control for compliance with traffic regulations by car-drivers in part of breaking rules of stopping and parking on bike lanes and paths and usage of cycling infrastructure by motorcyclists.
to organize on a regular basis events aimed at promotion of cycling as a daily transportation mean, including social advertisement, setting a good example and attraction of famous and respected public personalities.
4. Regarding management component was mentioned the following:
Participants of the round table agreed that construction of cycling infrastructure and work with participants of road traffic is not sufficient to maintain sustainable development of cycling. To achieve tangible results, coordinated actions of parties interested in cycling and cycling infrastructure development at all levels are required.
In order to secure effective management and interaction on cycling and cycling development matters implementation of the following points should be attained:
to secure in legal acts the status of a bicycle as a separate and self-sufficient mean of transportation;
to introduce tasks on development of cycling into strategic planning documents at all levels. In addition, specific KPIs for development of cycling should be identified (number of bicycle rides, percentage of people using bicycles on a regular basis etc.);
to introduce into government programs at the regional level aimed at development of transport infrastructure of the Russian Federation should separate tasks, targets and measures aimed at development of cycling and cycling infrastructure in regions as well as allocation of funds for design, construction, repair and maintenance of cycling infrastructure, including cycling infrastructure on roadsides of regional, inter-municipal and local roads;
to assign relevant executive authorities with implementation of cycling and cycling infrastructure development policy at all levels: federal, regional and local;
to develop ways of interactions and communication between executive government bodies which are responsible for planning and development of transport infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, education and environment for effective collaboration in the process of development of cycling and cycling infrastructure and achieving synergy effect from implemented measures;
to collect statistics on bicycle rides;
to implement measures for quantitative and qualitative assessment of impact of development of cycling and cycling infrastructure with use of up-to-date methodologies;
to create legal framework for development of other forms of micro mobility (e-bikes, Segways, solowheels, hoverboards etc.), taking into account growing popularity of these transportation means.
Based on the results of the round table participants recommended to ANCO “Directorate for Development of the St.Petersburg and Leningrad Region Transport System” to present the above mentioned proposals at the next meeting of the Coordination Council for Development of the St.Petersburg and Leningrad Region Transport System under chairmanship of the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Ditrikh.
