Strengthening the Human Infrastructure of Cycling

Urban policies to encourage cycling have traditionally focused on urban planning and design measures, in a logic of “bicycle oriented development” or “build it and they will come”. Such strategies however often do not respond to specific barriers such as perceptions, access, ability, or awareness. Failure to account for such barriers will continue to exclude those who would benefit the most from cycling as daily transportation.

This white paper highlights the benefits of cycling promotion measures and presents key learnings from successful initiatives in order for them to be further considered and prioritised by cities and regions as they implement cycling strategies. It uses the framework of “human infrastructure” to advocate for greater attention to the emotional and social aspects of cycling cultures. The report also aims to guide cities and organisations by providing a framework to ensure all populations can identify with and access cycling.

The report’s findings are the result of semi structured interviews with over 20 experts from the fields of planning, academia, policy and advocacy in 9 countries, as well as an overview of existing academic literature and research, 4 city and regional case studies, and illustrative “soft measure” interventions around the world.

Access the Report

Strengthening the Human Infrastructure of Cycling: White Paper

The following 6 recommendations, including detailed action points, are intended for an international audience of city officials, decision makers, cycling advocacy and community groups, as well as educational institutions and industry.


This report was supported by the Gelderland Province, Netherlands.