The title of this post is a bit pompous. But it's justified by what follows. We're discussing some very interesting topics with a very interesting specialist and practitioner. We're surrounded by an overabundance of messages and information. Issues related to urban transport, the construction of cycling infrastructure, and so on, are unfortunately no exception. But to understand why Polish cities look the way they do and what opportunities there are for them to become more bicycle-friendly, we need to be able to calmly consider many different conditions. Building another path seems to be the simplest solution in all of this.
The coronavirus epidemic is having rather unexpected consequences, often radical changes to urban transport. Initiatives promoting cycling and discouraging driving have proliferated worldwide. Do you have an opinion on why we haven't seen such a revolutionary upsurge in Poland?
I believe that the biggest problem in Poland is the lack of a central strategy that defines the goals and priorities for the development of cycling and the directions for the development of cycling infrastructure for transportation, recreation, and tourism. Furthermore, no action is being taken to promote cycling as the fastest and most efficient means of transport in urban areas.
At the local government level, we have different priorities when it comes to transport. On the one hand, cycling is considered a priority, contributing to reducing traffic jams, noise, and CO2 emissions, while on the other hand, cycling is treated as an additional means of transport – after cars and public (collective) transport.
It should be emphasized that in the largest urban areas, the focus is on promoting cycling and developing a network of bicycle routes, while simultaneously implementing projects to develop roads designated for cars. Urban policy includes numerous declarations regarding the development of environmentally friendly forms of transport, while also attempting to meet the expectations of all road users, especially car users. All this is in line with the principle of "having your cake and eating it too." This type of political strategy at the local level stems from calculations and the fear of losing a significant social base, namely passenger car drivers. In some functional urban areas, declarations are being made to increase the share of bicycles in transport from 6% to 20%. To achieve the goal of increasing bicycle traffic to 20%, actions must be taken to implement a coherent network of bicycle routes and radically change traffic organization, which will contribute to reducing car traffic pressure by: limiting and eliminating parking spaces in city centers, introducing one-way traffic, and closing streets to cars in favor of bicycles, pedestrians, and public transport. If we want to build cities that are friendly to people and the environment, we should use proven solutions from Denmark and the Netherlands, where cycling and walking are a priority.
For example, a major opportunity for the Warsaw Functional Area could be the implementation of a network of bicycle routes as part of the master plan for the development of bicycle routes under Integrated Territorial Investments , of which I am a co-author. The study recommended a coherent network of approximately 2,000 km of bicycle routes. If such master plans are implemented in functional urban areas, with appropriate promotional activities and consistent reductions in car traffic, it is possible to increase cycling by up to 10% within a few years. Research conducted in Denmark and the Netherlands shows that the basis for the development of cycling is a coherent network of bicycle routes. If the network is comfortable, safe, and coherent, people will start using it, and thus cycling will increase. The biggest problem in Poland is the lack of properly planned cycling infrastructure in most local government units.
The trend of developing cycling infrastructure in Poland came from the European Union in 2005. Before Poland's accession to the EU, cycling was treated as a means of transport for competitive cyclists, and on the other hand, as an everyday means of transport for less affluent citizens (mainly from smaller towns) who could not afford their own car in the era of systemic transformation. After 2005, as part of the implementation of cohesion policy and sustainable development in Poland, the first projects began to appear concerning the development of coherent networks of bicycle routes with transport and tourist significance.
For several years now, cycling has been a growing trend in Poland, used by all social classes for transportation, recreation, and tourism. At the same time, it should be emphasized that cycling in Poland continues to lose ground to road transport, which stems from the lack of consistency in limiting car traffic. Increasing cycling is possible, but only if we have a coherent, comfortable, and safe network of cycle routes and the right message about how cycling positively impacts health, the environment, and travel speed. In other words, standards, appropriate planning, and promotion are necessary.
In recent months, we've learned that demand for bicycles is increasing during the pandemic – queues have formed at bike shops, bike sales and production have increased, and bicycles are increasingly used for everyday travel as an alternative to public transport. In Europe (Berlin, Paris, Vienna), new ideas for so-called temporary traffic management have emerged, including the introduction of bicycle lanes on roads, the introduction of one-way traffic, and the closure of some streets to cars, to make cycling faster from point A to point B. Similar solutions are being implemented in cities such as Poznań and Kraków.
In the current situation in Europe, cycling is becoming an alternative to public transport. If EU member states and the European Commission take sustainable transport seriously , we could witness a true cycling revolution in Europe in the coming years. Cycling could become the most attractive mode of transport for transportation, recreation, and tourism.
Great! We hadn't met before, but I had a feeling that a conversation with someone who has been practically grappling with these issues for years would allow us to go beyond the trivial call for more bike lanes! You raised the issue of a more comprehensive approach to shaping transport policy, but also the crucial political sensitivity of choosing between cars and bicycles in cities. We'll return to the political aspects later, but let's focus on cycling infrastructure. Over 50% of train journeys in the Netherlands begin with a bicycle. This single figure demonstrates the importance of integrated transport. But will infrastructure changes, reinforced by bicycle promotion, be enough? Is it possible to achieve a significantly higher share of bicycles in daily journeys without changes in urban planning? Will cycling actually make a difference for residents of the sprawling suburbs of Polish cities?
You rightly noted that integrated transport is crucial. Therefore, when developing cycling and planning bicycle infrastructure, attention should be paid to connecting bicycle routes with public transport (railway stations, bus stops, and transfer hubs). Rail, tram, bus, and metro transport should be adapted to accommodate bicycles. Integrated bicycle parking areas should be created within the bicycle route network, ensuring convenient parking at schools, universities, workplaces, cafes, hotels, restaurants, etc. The master plan for the development of transportation-oriented bicycle routes, implemented as part of Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI), offers such an opportunity in the Warsaw Functional Area. The master plan for the development of transportation-oriented bicycle routes, which is being implemented as part of Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) and should be completed around 2025, provides this opportunity. The success of this project depends on the involvement of all municipalities within the TFZ and maintaining appropriate design and implementation standards, something that, unfortunately, varies across Poland.
The key to increasing cycling is ensuring comfort and safety. When developing cycling, it's crucial to utilize proven solutions from countries with the highest cycling traffic, such as Denmark and the Netherlands. According to the Danes, the foundation for the development of cycling is adequate cycling infrastructure and the promotion of cycling as the fastest mode of transport in urban areas.
When planning cycling infrastructure, we can use the Dutch CROW guidelines, which recommend, among other things, the use of physical separation on roads when traffic volume exceeds two thousand vehicles per day. When traffic volume is lower, a speed limit of 30 km/h is recommended, as well as the introduction of so-called "cycle streets," where cyclists have priority over other vehicles. To promote cycling, the Dutch: restrict car travel by limiting speed limits, close streets to cars, and create cul-de-sacs that are adapted to cycling. The Dutch planning model relies on the use of simple yet effective solutions, such as separating bicycles from the roadway and calming car traffic. In the Netherlands, as part of the development of cycling infrastructure, dedicated cycle paths are not implemented everywhere, but rather traffic calming and "mixed traffic" are primarily implemented on local roads, which reduces investment costs. In most Dutch cities, the same destination can be reached by bicycle twice as quickly as by car. In the Netherlands, the length of the cycle path network doubled between 1996 and 2009, and nearly €600 million is currently spent annually on modernizing and developing cycling infrastructure, or €35 per capita. The Netherlands is a country with more bicycles than inhabitants. Currently, the share of bicycles in all trips in the Netherlands is around 30%, with the highest bicycle traffic in cities. In Amsterdam, almost half of all trips to the city center are made by bicycle, and in Utrecht, almost 60%!
According to the Danish and Dutch models, people will switch to cycling en masse, but only if they have well-planned cycling infrastructure that ensures comfort and safety. Countries where cycling is the primary mode of transport share common features, such as: bicycle lanes physically separated from car traffic; speed limits for motor vehicles; safe crossings at intersections; the introduction of contraflow traffic; integrated bicycle parking and spaces for transporting bicycles on public transport. Cycle routes are planned to increase the sense of safety among all road users. In other words, Denmark and the Netherlands have such an advantage over other countries that they have focused on promoting cycling among all residents practically from the outset. According to Danish and Dutch cycling policies, cycling should be promoted so that it is perceived as a universal, safe form of transport. In many countries (e.g., the USA, the UK, the UK, and France), promoting cycling solely for sport and recreation was a mistake, resulting in limited cycling for transportation purposes (commuting to work, school, university, etc.).
In Poland, a document that refers to Danish and Dutch solutions is the Development of guidelines for the organization of safe cycling traffic.You mentioned earlier that local governments are living in a bit of a schizophrenia. On the one hand, there's probably no city in Poland that hasn't invested, for better or worse, in more or less thoughtful ways, in improving bicycle infrastructure. On the other hand, however, they avoid making a clear declaration that everyone won't fit in the city and continue to invest in road infrastructure, which is primarily used by passenger cars. I wrote on our blog that the car fetish in our country is deeply rooted in our culture . But the success of the Netherlands, which you mention, was by no means the result of harmonious changes. Residents of large urban areas rebelled against a situation in which children were primarily victims of car accidents. In the 1960s and 1970s, mass protests were behind the beginning of changes in thinking about urban transport . And now the fundamental question: Do the plans you mentioned, part of the Integrated Territorial Investments planned for Warsaw and the surrounding area, have a real chance of fundamentally changing the share of bicycles in daily transport? Or in other words - is change possible other than as a result of a fundamental transformation of social expectations?
In Poland, the fastest-growing cycling infrastructure is in the largest metropolises, which are attempting to implement cycling development programs and establishing partnerships with other European cities. The problem is that the transport policies of Polish metropolises are focused on meeting the needs of both bicycles and cars. Consequently, cycling in metropolises does not exceed 6-7%. The greatest challenge lies in most medium-sized and small municipalities – the lack of network, cohesion, quality, and planning for the development of cycling infrastructure. Therefore, many issues will have to be rethought in terms of planning and development.
I agree with you that in the Netherlands, the greatest influence on the development of cycling was exerted by local protest groups fighting for the safety of vulnerable road users. Today, the Netherlands, along with Denmark, are among the countries with the highest cycling traffic and the best-developed network of cycling infrastructure, linked to public transport.
The Master Plan for Transportation-Related Cycle Routes for the Warsaw Functional Area (Capital City of Warsaw + 39 municipalities) was implemented in 2016. The project is currently being implemented as part of Integrated Territorial Investments and is co-financed by the Regional Operational Program of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship for 2014-2020. For the purposes of the Master Plan, the length of existing cycle routes within the WOF area was assessed, which in 2016 was 796 km. The municipalities lacked a network or cohesion of cycle routes. The study recommended a target network of cycle routes, which by 2023 should be approximately 1,920 km long (taking into account existing, implemented, and planned cycle routes).
The project's main goal is to improve the quality of life for the local community by reducing air pollutant emissions within the WOF area and developing safe, consistent, comfortable, and functional forms of public and non-motorized public transport. According to the project's assumptions, bicycle routes should enable easy movement from point A to point B, connecting with public transport hubs (rail, tram, bus, metro, airports), public transport and transportation, public transport and transportation, offices, and shopping centers. The project is innovative in Poland and Europe, considering the area and scope of the investment. For example, as part of the development of bicycle routes in Warsaw, 20 investment projects were submitted under the Integrated Investment Initiative (ZIT) WOF (Phase I) for a total amount of PLN 185,452,233.04.
In Warsaw, as part of the ZIT WOF Master Plan, among others, bicycle routes were created: along Ostrobramska Street (connecting Gocław, Gocławek with the city center), along Belwederska Street (connecting Mokotów, Wilanów towards Śródmieście), along Rzymkowskiego Street (connecting the office part of Mokotów with Ursynów and Wilanów), along Stany Narodowej Avenue (connecting Praga Południe, Rembertów, Wawer and Wesoła), along Żwirki i Wigury Street (connecting Pole Mokotowskie, campuses of two universities, Rakowiec with Mokotów and office buildings in Służewiec, Włochy, Ochota and Śródmieście), along Słomińskiego Street (connecting Praga Północ, Żoliborz, Targówek with Wola and Śródmieście), along Okopowa and Towarowa Streets (connecting Wola into a network), along Puławska (connecting Ursynów with Mokotów towards Śródmieście), along Prymasa Tysiąclecia Street (connecting Wola into a network), along Radzymińska Street (connecting Marki, Ząbki, Targówek and Praga), along Jerozolimskie Avenue (connecting Włochy, Ochota with Śródmieście), along Mińska – Stanisławowska – Dwernickiego – Szaserów Streets (linear route for Praga), along Marsa Street, along Jagiellońska Street (connecting Rembertów with Praga towards Śródmieście), along Powsińska and Wiertnicza Streets (connecting Wilanów, Mokotów towards Śródmieście), along Kasprzaka – Wolska – Połczyńska Street (connecting Ursus, Bemowo, Wola towards Śródmieście), along ul. Drewny (connecting Warsaw with Konstancin), in Pole Mokotowskie (connecting Mokotów, Ochota, Śródmieście), a pedestrian and bicycle footbridge was built on the Łazienkowski Bridge (enabling connection of right-bank Warsaw with left-bank Warsaw).
However, I believe the biggest problem remains the lack of a coherent network of bicycle routes in Warsaw's city center and the lack of bold decisions to limit car traffic. If transport policy doesn't change to limit car traffic towards and within the city center, the city could be paralyzed and even more polluted in a few years. Unfortunately, the current trend is to cater to all road users (investments in bicycles, pedestrians, public transport, and, most importantly, car transport).
My observations indicate that from May to October, cycling traffic in Warsaw in areas where ZIT WOF investments have been implemented is increasing, with even so-called bicycle traffic jams forming before major intersections between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Therefore, it's clear that building coherent cycling infrastructure contributes to a significant increase in cycling in cities. If we want Warsaw to have a cycling percentage above 10% (as expected by the Public Roads Authority), we need to restrict car traffic (banning entry into the city center). However, if cycling continues to be treated as a perk for enthusiasts, we will never reach the level of Denmark or the Netherlands, and we won't even approach Slovenia. Furthermore, most residents will be skeptical of cycling when they have to endure exhaust fumes and speed through intersections with speeding cars. In other words, a proven solution is to limit car traffic and parking in the city center. Implementing this strategy will encourage people to travel by bicycle, public transport, on foot, and by public transport.
Returning to investments within the Integrated Urban Areas (ZIT) of the Cycle Routes (WOF), I see the biggest challenge in maintaining design and construction standards in some of the WOF municipalities, as well as the involvement of some local governments, which may impact the investment process. I also see some problems in coordinating the implementation of the Master Plan, but this is a common phenomenon in Poland. In many European countries, contractors and authors of the route network concept are responsible for coordinating the project to maintain standards. In Poland, the author's role ends upon completion of the cycle route plan, which may impact the entire investment process. Furthermore, the transport policy in the WOF is also of great importance. Cycling in the WOF would be significantly higher if municipalities focused more on promoting cycling and public transport while simultaneously limiting road investments for cars.
Education and campaigns promoting cycling as the fastest means of transport are crucial. We have much work to do to change the majority of society's views on transport. Since the beginning of the political and systemic transformation, we have been taught (via media reports and so-called communication and transport experts) that cars are the fastest and best means of transport. Owning a car has become the goal of most Poles. Through their messages, media and politicians have instilled in people that simply owning a car is enough to join the aspiring middle class. In the 1990s, cycling was considered a means of competitive sport or transportation for less affluent people from rural areas. Since 2005, cycling has been steadily growing in popularity (15 years ago, cycling in Warsaw was less than 2%, and today it's around 7%). Bicycles are used for transportation, recreation, and long-distance tourist trips. Thanks to the trend that came to Poland from Western Europe, some people have begun to consider cycling as an alternative to road transport. However, due to the lack of consistency in transport policy at the central and local government level, it continues to lose to road transport.
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Let's leave politics aside. Especially now, we can probably take a break from it for a while. This will be the last question. You're a practitioner with many years of experience. How do you assess the current approach to bicycle infrastructure design in Poland? Can we at least say that we're on par with the best? Of course, the question is too general to provide a definitive answer. But I'm curious if and how knowledge flows between the Netherlands, Denmark, or Germany and us? Perhaps we can boast of solutions that others could emulate in the future?
In my opinion, there are only a few entities in Poland with the experience and knowledge to implement professional projects related to organizing cycling traffic and planning bicycle path networks. They draw on the best European models (primarily from the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany) and also implement their own innovative solutions.
In Poland, since June 2019, we have had a document on national guidelines for organizing safe cycling, but there are no guidelines for planning bicycle path networks at the local, regional, or national levels. Consequently, several voivodeships are striving to develop bicycle path networks, but others are doing little or nothing to develop coherent bicycle path networks. The West Pomeranian, Pomeranian, and Lesser Poland voivodeships are good examples of developing tourist bicycle path networks. Several planning projects have also been developed as part of the development of Functional Urban Areas.
Countries with underdeveloped cycling and dedicated infrastructure can, for example, draw on the experience of Western Pomerania, Pomerania, and Lesser Poland, where investments are being made that draw on practices used in the implementation of the EuroVelo route network. In Poland, a EuroVelo network plan for 16 voivodeships was developed in 2014, but only three voivodeships currently use it. The first and longest long-distance tourist cycling route to be created in Poland is GreenVelo (almost 2,000 km of cycling route that passes through five voivodeships in Eastern Poland). GreenVelo has created, among other things, a network of MORs, cyclist-friendly locations, and a website promoting the regions through which the route passes. Currently, the Masurian Cycling Loop (a cycling route around the Great Masurian Lakes) is also under construction, which will connect with the GreenVelo route, creating a tourism product for the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. When planning bicycle routes for transport purposes, we can draw on the experience of municipalities in the Warsaw Functional Area or the city of Gdańsk.
The main goal for public and local government authorities for the years 2020-2030 should be to implement the conditions and feasibility of coherent cycling routes of local, regional, and national importance, meeting the highest standards of coherence, directness, attractiveness, safety, and comfort for cyclists. To create a coherent network of cycling routes in Poland, it is necessary to take into account the conditions, provisions of Polish, European, and international law, and the best national and European guidelines for the implementation of professional cycling routes with supporting infrastructure and for creating cycling as a zero-emission mode of transport.
Taking into account the provisions of the European Union policy objectives in the financial perspective for 2021-2027:
Goal 2. A greener, low-emission Europe. A more environmentally friendly, low-emission Europe by promoting a clean and just energy transition, green and blue investments, the circular economy, climate change adaptation, and risk prevention and management . Need: reduce air pollution. Actions under the Policy Objectives: promote pro-environmental behavior, including the use of low-emission transport. Development goal: reduce pollutant emissions. Need: change behavior in the use of environmental resources. Actions under the Policy Objectives: support low-emission mobility. Development goal: a good state of the natural environment, consistent with the principle of sustainable development.
The objectives indicate the priority of "changing behaviour towards pro-ecological ones...": supporting individual and collective mobility with low or zero emissions, developing public transport infrastructure encouraging the use of public transport, supporting walking and cycling.
Goal 5: Bringing Europe closer to its citizens . By supporting the sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural, and coastal areas through local initiatives. Developing areas with high natural and landscape values, as well as those with spa and cultural assets that make them highly attractive to tourists, including for the development of the tourism, ecotourism, and economic sectors.
It should be assumed that the European Union budget for 2021-2027 will be able to co-finance investments related to the construction of bicycle routes and accompanying infrastructure.
The implementation of cycling infrastructure also fits into the European Union's current transport policy strategy during the current pandemic. Cycling is currently considered an alternative to public transport in most European countries, where the risk of infection is high. New cycling development plans are being implemented in most European Union member states, aiming to significantly increase the use of this mode of transport in everyday journeys.
The implementation and creation of a coherent network of bicycle routes at the municipal, voivodeship and national level will contribute to the development of tourism, the development of people- and environment-friendly transport, the development of zero-emission transport, the reduction of air pollution, the reduction of noise, the creation of a national tourism product that reduces accidents and the protection of vulnerable road users.
In my opinion, in order to ensure the implementation of investments related to bicycle infrastructure, the central authorities should create a separate fund (including EU aid funds for 2021-2027) to co-finance zero-emission transport investments, including bicycles.
In summary, there are several regions and entities in Poland with experience in implementing linear and network cycling infrastructure projects. At the same time, it should be emphasized that cycling is not considered a priority in most local government units, and bicycle path/route projects are implemented alongside the construction and modernization of car roads. The biggest problem is the lack of planning for a bicycle network and the development of cycling within the entire municipality and within local government partnerships. In other words, projects for planning bicycle path networks and the development of cycling should be included as mandatory documents of strategic planning significance for local government units in Poland.
We have a great opportunity to create a safe, comfortable and coherent cycling infrastructure in Poland based on co-financing from EU aid funds for 2021-2027.
Jakub Zamana
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Jakub Zamana
- Doctor of social sciences, planner.
- Graduate of the University of Warsaw
- Expert in strategic and planning projects implemented for public administration.
- Marketing, public relations, and public affairs advisor
- Advisor for planning bicycle infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and bicycle traffic development.
- Co-author of programs/concepts/research projects on infrastructure development and cycling implemented in over 400 local government units in Poland. He has collaborated on projects of national and international significance, including with corporations from Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Development of possibilities for the development of communication-oriented bicycle routes for the Warsaw Functional Area, the so-called "Master Plan of WOF bicycle routes", Warsaw 2016.
- Guidelines for the organization of safe cycling in Poland, Warsaw 2019.
- Concept and Functional-Utility Program of the Masurian Cycling Loop, Mikołajki 2017.
- Model and Variant Analysis of the Eastern Poland Cycle Route "Green Velo", Warsaw 2012.
- EuroVelo bicycle route network plan in Poland, Warsaw 2014.
- Concept of building a bicycle route around the Kampinos National Park, Ożarów Mazowiecki 2019.
Dzięki za miłe słowa!
Bardzo ciekawy wywiad :) Dzięki! Przyjemnie się go czytało :)
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