Economics, tourism and safety on bikes The development of cycling in France - Barcelona, 9th of November

Economics, tourism and safety on bikes

 The development of cycling in France

                                   Barcelona, 9th of November

Club des villes et territoires cyclables
A French network of cycling friendly
cities and local authorities founded in
1989. More than 250 members
today (representing 1500 cities).

§ 2012: Founding of a parliamentary
  group for cycling
§ 2016: Founding of Cycling Made in
  France platform

Facts and figures

• Cycling in cities: a wide range of situations
         Bordeaux    Strasbourg      Grenoble    Aix -
         Métropole   Eurométropole   Alpes       Marseille
         (2017)                      Métropole

         49,6%       46%             48%         56,5%

         11,9%       13%             16%         9,1%
         7,7%        8%              4%          0,7%
         29 %        33%             31%         30,6%

Cycling in cities
Grenoble Alpes Métropole : 49
municipalities, 450 000
inhabitants

Lowering speed : 1st of January 2016:
Grenoble and 14 municipalities become
            30km/h cities

                • Give fair space to • Improve safety
                  each mode of       • Ease traffic flow
                  transportation
                • Reduce pollution

Developping cycling highways (2017 –
    2020) : Chronovélo network

                  Today: 7km
                  2020: 40 km

Facts and figures

 Cycling to work in
      France

In 2015, 2% of
workers (with a job)
cycle to work à 500
000 persons

Cycling for leisure/tourism

• 14 milions French
  cycle at least once a
  year (2016)
• Cycling is an activity
  in 8,3 milions stays
  for French people
  during their holidays
  (2016)

Cyclotourism, a national frame
A toolbox for public authorities:

ØA definition of bikeway and greenway
 (2001)
ØA national network + Eurovélo routes (7
 itineraries)
ØA label “Accueil vélo”
ØA monitoring of social and economical
 impact
ØA monitoring of frequentation

A definition of bikeway and greenway
Bikeway (véloroute)
• Middle or long distance
  itinerary
• Connection between territories
• Linear, continuous, marked,
  safe, incentive, nice, maximum
  drop : 3%, can be used by all
  cyclists
 Greenway (voie verte)
 Road exclusively reserved to unmotorized vehicles,
 pedestrians and horse riders
 à Itineraries to be developed and managed by Regions and
 Departments

A national network + Eurovélo routes

The French Network
of véloroute and
greenways

Today : 15 120 km
2030 : 22 870 km

In 2017 : inauguration
of 810km

Ressources:
Eurovelo cycle scheme
National cycle scheme
Local greenways
Recommended tours
by associations and
federations

A label “Accueil vélo”
• Unique, simple and clear
  description of the services
  adapted to cyclotourists along
  cycling itineraries, bike and
  greenways
• For hosts, tourist offices, bicycle
  hire companies, bicycle
  reparation companies, visit and
                                         3200 companies
  leisure sites, restaurants             labeled in 2017

• Several criteria for each category
  + being located maximum 5km
  from an itinerary

Monitoring of social and economical benefits

•   Economic benefits are calculated at the regional level

•   EuroVelo 6 methodology (2006) à to be widespread

Social and economical benefits of Via Rhôna (2017)

Monitoring of social and economical benefits

Economical benefits of
cycling events
• Tour de France :
Ø10 to 12 millions fans
  along the road
ØEconomical benefits
  for the municipalities
  which host a stage

Local cycling events :
• Slowup, Alsace,
  36000 persons,
• l’Ardéchoise,17000
  persons, 5,8M€ of
  economic spinoff
• Anjou Vélo Vintage,
  Saumur, 30 000
  persons

Monitoring of frequentation
  • Methodology:
  National platform of
  frequentations: 600
  counters, 63 contributors
  - Automatic contribution
  - Manual contribution,
  periodical itineraries
à Aggregation of raw data
• Criteria: 24h/24, all year round, permanent counting
    only
à Use : monitoring of the frequentation on cycling
itineraries

Monitoring of frequentation

Cycling economy

• Bikes sales

• French Cycling industry: 4,5 billions €

• 12 000 jobs : bikes manufacturing, sales,
  reparation, services, tourism…

Cycling safety
• 68% of cyclists who were
  killed in 2017 were over 50
  years old; 44% were over
  65 years old
• 77% of injured or killed
  cyclists were riding for
  leisure
• 83% of injured or killed
  cyclists are men

• 82% of accidents happen in urban area: 42% are fatal, 70%
  cause injuries
• In rural areas, accidents are more lethal: 20 cyclists killed
  for 100 injured

Cycling safety

• Crash types

• Seasonality
  effect : June,
  August,
  September

Tools for action

• Campaign “Cyclistes
  brillez”
• Communication by
  public authorities

Successes and challenges in
    lobbying for cycling

2016: Get paid to cycle to
work
• 0,25€/km – 200€/year
• For private employers +
  experimentation in
  public administration
à 132 companies, 23
municipalities, 183175
employees benefit from
IKV

Le Plan vélo – Cycle Plan (October 2018)
• 350 M€ for a fund for
  active mobilities
à Solving discontinuities
+ road safety measures
• Address bike theft :
o stamping for new bikes
  and second hand bikes
  sold by professionals
o Action plan for bike theft

• Promote the use of bike
o Sustainable mobility
  bundle (400€ for
  cycling to work)
o Bike in the tax scale
o Fiscal incentive for
  companies which
  rent/borrow bikes to
  their employees

• Build up a cycling
  culture
o Learning how to ride a
  bicycle before entering
  “Collège”
o Open cycle data to
  enhance passenger
  information/intermodality

The goal : triple bike modal share !

         3% à 9% (2024)

Next challenges:

• Mainstreaming 30km/h speed in urban areas
  ;
• Implementing a “Street Code” (code de la
  rue) ;
• Enhance green and bikeway network

www.villes-cyclables.org

Claire Schreiber : cschreiber@villes-cyclables.org