Two towns which come to mind are Vancouver and Bath. Vancouver has big, Bath has steep. I seem to remember big hills in Portland (Oregon, USA), too. All cycling-good towns. It is pretty hilly around Northampton, MA USA, a town known as the 'Athens of the East' because it has some five major universities, and of course, lots of cyclists.
After you've died a few times climbing hills, you get better at it.
- Richard Ballantine
On 12 Sep 2007, at 19:43, Paul Rosen wrote:
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [UTSG] Cycling and Terrain
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:44:59 +0100
Does anyone know of an example of a city or town with a hilly terrain which has nonetheless succeeded in achieving a relatively high modal share for cycling?
This question arose in discussion with a transport planner in Plymouth who said one problem he frequently encounters is the view that it is a waste of time promoting cycling there because of the terrain. I have heard variations on the same argument in other circumstances.
Clearly terrain does exert a strong influence on propensities to cycle - some studies have attempted to quantify this (eg Rodriguez & Joo). Some cities such as Freiburg are deceptive in this respect, because they are surrounded by mountains but the vast majority of the urban area where cycling takes place is flat.
Is anyone aware of an example which would help my Plymouth contact to refute that argument?
Steve Melia
University of the West of England
RODRIGUEZ, D.A. and JOO, J., 2004. The relationship between non-motorized mode choice and the local physical environment. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 9(2), pp. 151-173.
--
Dr Paul Rosen
Research Fellow
Stockholm Environment Institute, York
University of York
Heslington
York YO10 5DD
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