To address issues associated with traditional motorised transport, urban mobility is undergoing a profound transformation. Although cycling is being promoted as an alternative to the car in the mobility plans of several Mediterranean cities, the proportion of people using it remains low. While establishing adequate infrastructure and services is necessary, it is not sufficient to encourage behavioural change. Alongside physical interventions, soft measures are also required. Intuitive tools that compare the costs (not limited to monetary ones) of different transport modes with cycling are necessary. Such tools have been developed for other fields or modes but are currently lacking for bicycles. To address this gap, this study presents a methodology for developing a useroriented decision-support tool that evaluates the economic, spatial and environmental effects of switching from motorised to bicycle transport in car-dependent cities. It assesses several key performance indicators derived from a review of the scientific literature. These include health impacts, congestion rates, connectivity and the user-friendliness and security of the relevant infrastructure. Different user profiles enable a tailored evaluation for each respondent. The architecture of the tool is presented and the prototype is then tested through a targeted pilot distribution in the Metropolitan City of Venice (Italy). The results should be interpreted as a proof of concept rather than as representative estimates of population-level cycling potential. They illustrate each respondent's performance according to their identified journey, providing a more informed understanding of their choices. Furthermore, some of the answers relating to the criticalities of the network can be translated into data-driven recommendations for urban and transport planners. This suggests that, to improve the potential of bicycles as a sustainable transport mode in car-dependent urban areas, physical interventions related to modal choice should be complemented by behavioural initiatives.
Assessing bicycle convenience in car-dependent cities
Bruzzone, Francesco;Cavallaro, Federico;Gasparetto, Matilde;Nocera, Silvio
2026-01-01
Abstract
To address issues associated with traditional motorised transport, urban mobility is undergoing a profound transformation. Although cycling is being promoted as an alternative to the car in the mobility plans of several Mediterranean cities, the proportion of people using it remains low. While establishing adequate infrastructure and services is necessary, it is not sufficient to encourage behavioural change. Alongside physical interventions, soft measures are also required. Intuitive tools that compare the costs (not limited to monetary ones) of different transport modes with cycling are necessary. Such tools have been developed for other fields or modes but are currently lacking for bicycles. To address this gap, this study presents a methodology for developing a useroriented decision-support tool that evaluates the economic, spatial and environmental effects of switching from motorised to bicycle transport in car-dependent cities. It assesses several key performance indicators derived from a review of the scientific literature. These include health impacts, congestion rates, connectivity and the user-friendliness and security of the relevant infrastructure. Different user profiles enable a tailored evaluation for each respondent. The architecture of the tool is presented and the prototype is then tested through a targeted pilot distribution in the Metropolitan City of Venice (Italy). The results should be interpreted as a proof of concept rather than as representative estimates of population-level cycling potential. They illustrate each respondent's performance according to their identified journey, providing a more informed understanding of their choices. Furthermore, some of the answers relating to the criticalities of the network can be translated into data-driven recommendations for urban and transport planners. This suggests that, to improve the potential of bicycles as a sustainable transport mode in car-dependent urban areas, physical interventions related to modal choice should be complemented by behavioural initiatives.
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