Bicycle infrastructure
In Utrecht 29% of
the number of journeys takes place by bicycle.
For both the town and region
main cycle ways are signposted, surfaced and designed for cycle traffic. At
main crossings are tunnels reserved for cyclists and pedestrians. An important
issue in the design of these tunnels is that people feel safe.
Parking bicycles
In Utrecht are 5
guarded cycle storage sheds and many other provisions without security. Also in some streets there are bicycle boxes
which can be locked.
In the plan for the redeveloped
railway station (pubic transport terminal) are six cycle sheds with about
20.000 places.
In the Netherlands since
2003 you can buy a subscription for hiring a bicycle at the railway station.
Then you don't have to fill in a form and to pay a deposit. So it is much
quicker. Because there will be more train passengers if the transport before
and after the railway journey is good, the rent for a bicycle doesn't have to
be cost effective.
In Utrecht the car
parks(for cars and bicycles) are run by the (public)
parking division. With the money from car parking the municipality can keep the
prices for bicycle parking low.
Experiment bicycle street
A few years ago in Utrecht there
was an experiment with a bicycle street. The street was divided in two parts:
one for each direction. The part for one direction was too small for cars
passing a bicycle. The meaning was that cars should have the same speed as
bicycles. The experiment was no success, because some cyclists became nervous
by cars riding too close behind them. They gave way to cars to pass and that
resulted in dangerous situations.
Mobility management/ Taxation regimes
Most public and some private
companies have office bicycles for short trips to other buildings. Utrecht
officers cannot claim expences for parking their car
in the city. So no officer will use a car to go to the city center,
because of the high parking rates. The national government stimulates the use
of bicycles by taxation profits. It is possible to buy a bicycle via your
employer and to substract the costs from your gross
salary.
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