Cycle highways in spatial development plans

This chapter deals with the relevance of spatial development plans for the implementation of cycle highways. This is presented using  examples from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Spatial development plans as instrument for cycle highway planning

Spatial development plans are an important instrument of spatial planning. Their purpose is to stipulate the main features of land use for their region. This includes, in particular, settlement and landscape structures. They also contain information on protected areas in which certain uses are only possible to a limited extent. These plans thus represent an important basis for the development of transport infrastructure, including cycle paths.

With regard to European transferability, one advantage of spatial development plans as a planning instrument is that they are part of spatial planning in many European countries. They would therefore be suitable as a module for a standardized planning methodology. In addition, the contents of these plans are legally binding for the subsequent planning levels. The representation of cycle highways in such plans could therefore increase their chances of implementation.

As the following descriptions of the plans show, there is currently little use of the potential for the implementation of cycling highways that these plans hold. Decision-makers should therefore consider the extent to which this instrument can be used for the successful implementation of cycle highways.

The regional preparatory land-use plan FrankfurtRheinMain

This plan is unique in Germany because it combines two planning levels (regional plan and land-use plan) into one plan. It is therefore valid for a whole region (a total of 75 municipalities) and not, as is usually the case, only for the area of one municipality. This is a major advantage with regard to the development of transport infrastructure, as it allows regional networks to be presented in a single plan. Another special feature of the regional land-use plan is the presentation of a regional cycle route network.

This plan is particularly relevant as an information basis for the current planning of cycle highways. However, the information contained in the plan is not sufficient for concrete planning. For example, there is a lack of information on population densities and large work locations. In addition, the scale of 1:50 000 is too rough for concrete route planning. With regard to the binding implementation of planning, the only option is to represent cycle highways as part of the regional cycle route network in the plan. As regional cycle routes, they are given priority in funding decisions of the state of Hesse and must be included in the development plans. However, there are no specifications for the regional cycle routes that would correspond to the standards of cycle highways. The development or maintenance of the routes as cycle highways cannot therefore be prescribed.

Land-use Plan of Vlaams-Brabant

The Vlaams-Brabant spatial structure plan applies to the entire province of Vlaams-Brabant. It contains guidelines and information on the structural development in the province, some of which are located in maps. In contrast to the FrankfurtRhineMain Regional Land Use Plan, however, it does not contain binding map representations of existing and planned land use. Contents on bicycle traffic are only recorded in text form.

The specifications from the structural plan must be taken into account when planning cycle highways. This applies in particular to the planned spatial developments in the province.  However, the contents of the plan are not sufficient as a basis of information for concrete route planning, as they are not presented at all or only on a very rough scale. The structural plan is also not suitable for the binding implementation of cycle highway planning, as cycle traffic infrastructures are not represented in the maps. The plan refers to the subordinate planning instrument Implementation Plan, with the help of which concrete routes can be bindingly defined. However, such plans are only drawn up for a specific area on a case-by-case basis. There is currently no implementation plan that applies to the entire province of Vlaams-Brabant.

The environmental vision of Gelderland

The environmental vision of Gelderland applies to the entire province of Gelderland. Similar to the Vlaams-Brabant structural plan, this plan contains the basic specifications for the spatial development of the province, but no detailed stipulations on land use. The vision is limited to contents that are relevant for the province. It shows the current and planned cycle routes in a map.

The contents of the environmental vision are an important basis for the planning of cycle highways, especially because they already contain concrete plan representations on this. In addition, the province of Gelderland has established a cycling network for its area in an ordinance to implement the environmental vision. It sets out the location of the main routes and the requirements for their development. The network distinguishes between cycle highways, fast cycle routes and school routes. Municipalities can request subsidies for a certain type of route if traffic density meets the eligibility criteria.