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Cycling in Cities is a program of research investigating

  • which factors encourage or discourage the use of bicycles for urban transportation, and
  • which types of transportation infrastructure are associated with increased or decreased risks of injuries to cyclists.


The research program includes a number of studies, outlined in the table below and described in more detail throughout the website. It is based at the University of British Columbia (School of Population & Public Health, and School of Environmental Health) in western Canada. It has many partners including researchers from the Universities of Victoria and Toronto, cycling planners, cycling advocates, and hospital-based researchers in Vancouver and Toronto.


the studies

study
funders progress outline of the research
Opinion Survey
  • Transport Canada MOST Program
  • TransLink
  • Metro Vancouver & its municipalities

Completed.

Results in process of being published. Posters and talks presented.

Brochures available.

This survey asked adults in the Greater Vancouver region about 16 routes types and 73 other factors that might influence their likelihood of cycling.
Mapping Cycling Trips
  • Heart & Stroke
  • CIHR
  • TransLink
  • MSFHR
  • funders of the Opinion Survey

Opinion Survey trip data complete. Mapping of transportation and urban features complete. Data analyses underway.

Focus groups on bikeability complete. Results presented in report, talks, and posters.

Cycling route planner for Metro Vancouver launched.

This study will link trip data from the Opinion Survey to mapped data on features that might influence cycling. The analysis will provide objective data on transportation, land use, and population features that affect choice of cycling.

One of the aims of the study is to understand what makes a neighbourhood "bikeable". In addition to analyses of the Opinion Survey data, focus groups of people who cycle at different levels will contribute to this understanding.

Climate & Cycling
  • UBC
  • The Bridge Program

Completed.

Results published.

This study used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and Environment Canada to test whether cycling rates in Canadian cities were affected by climate, demographics, or population.
Cycling Injuries
  • Heart & Stroke
  • CIHR
  • CHER and the Bridge Program funded preliminary work

Participant recruitment began in June 2008. Recruitment will be completed in November 2009, and field work will be completed in February 2010.

This study ("the BICE Study") will investigate which types of transportation infrastructure are associated with higher or lower risks of injury to cyclists.

 

what's new

We have just completed a review of the scientific literature about bicyclists' injuries or crashes and the transportation infrastructure. A summary and the full review are now available.

 

Meghan Winters presented two posters at the Velo-city 2009 conference in Brussels: one on the route planner and one on the focus group results.

 

The results of the opinion survey are summarized in a new brochure designed by Christie Hurrell of CHER and a leaflet prepared for a meeting with Vancouver City Councillors in February 2009.

 

Meghan Winters and Adam Cooper have prepared a report on the results of focus groups about "What Makes a Neighbourhood Bikeable".

 

links to funders

Photo credits | Last reviewed November 11, 2009