CYCLING ON RURAL ROADS
Full title: Cycling on rural roads – removing barriers
National and global sustainability goals require an increased knowledge of human behavior and lifestyle. Active travel is often proposed as a solution for increased sustainability in urban environments, but also has great potential on rural roads - an area where research currently is very limited. The project's objective is to make the road network more accessible for cycling by identifying barriers that make cycling unpleasant and measures that can lead to increased comfort. Barriers in the traffic environment that prevent cycling in rural areas can include big roads that are difficult to cross, roads that, due to design or traffic intensity, are perceived as unpleasant in longitudinal traffic, that is when riding along them. Identification of barriers and possible measures is based on empirical data and the results of workshops with different actors with relevant competence. A recent survey will be the basis for an analysis of how different road users groups experience overtaking, how comfortable they feel in the situation and how the interaction could be made safer and more pleasant. Some of the proposed measures will be tested in an innovative cycling simulator that offers a realistic cycling experience to capture the subjects' feelings and sensations. The barrier effects and potential of countermeasures are quantified using a GIS-based tool by applying the results to one or more rural communities in the analysis. In the long term, the results can contribute to considering active travellers' experiences in the design of the transport system. This can lead to an increased share of cycling and other active transport in rural areas, which benefits the climate, public health, inclusion and the ecosystem.
