Fietsberaad Vlaanderen presents five measures for safe bicycle traffic

Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, the Flemish knowledge center for cycling policy in Flanders, recently presented five measures for local authorities to improve bicycle traffic safety on their territory. Among the measures are lowering speed in built-up areas from 50 to 30 km/hour, introducing a circulation plan, or creating separate cycle paths.

The study’s results are helpful for road managers or local policymakers considering road safety measures who would like to gain fundamental insights.

More daily bicycle trips

The Flemish government wants more people to ride a bike. By 2040, 30 percent of all trips should be made by bicycle in cities and rural areas. According to the latest survey, in 2021-2022, this was only 18%.

Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, therefore, objectified the effects, costs, and acceptance by the general public of five measures that influence road safety for cyclists. Five typical measures were selected that can be taken at the local level, and that appear in the Flemish road safety plan:

• reducing speed from 50 to 30 km/hour
• introducing a circulation plan
• reducing speed from 70 to 50 km/hour on roads without separate cycle paths
• introducing conflict-free regulations for traffic lights
• constructing separate cycle paths

Cost-efficient measures

The report, published in September, shows that reducing from 70 to 50 km/hour on roads without dedicated cycle paths is a very cost-efficient measure. It would result in 33 percent fewer road deaths and 26 percent fewer serious injuries for a relatively low cost of 6,000 euros per kilometer—56 percent of the Flemish people surveyed think it is a good measure.

Most respondents (97%) advocate the construction of separate cycle paths. With 55% fewer road fatalities and 55% fewer serious injuries, the effects on road safety are also very significant. However, it is very expensive (>1 million euros).

Relatively expensive but effective

No fewer than 79 percent think introducing conflict-free traffic light regulation is a good idea–not the cheapest solution either. Only half of Flemish citizens consider reducing speed from 50 to 30 km/hour and introducing a circulation plan suitable measures.

However, these measures, with 26 and 23 percent fewer road fatalities and 26 and 17 percent fewer serious injuries, respectively, also benefit cyclists’ road safety.

The researchers emphasize that each measure’s effects on road safety depend significantly on the context in which it is introduced.