From March to May, the City of Brno conducted a survey focusing on bicycle transport via the ‘Dáme na vás’ (‘Over to you’) platform. All residents of Brno were able to take part, whether cyclists or not. The results will provide a valuable evidence base for the city’s emerging cycling strategy, which aims to make cycling safe and accessible to everyone. The city published the results yesterday.
The main goal of the survey was to collect detailed information about residents’ experiences of cycling in Brno, to find out what the most pressing problems are, and what needs to be solved immediately. The survey therefore included various aspects of bicycle transport, including safety, infrastructure, conflicts with other road users, and preferences for future developments. Thanks to this, the views of the general public will be incorporated into the analysis of the situation of bicycle transport in Brno.
“We know that the conditions for cycling in Brno are not ideal,” said Brno city councillor for transport Petr Kratochvíl. “However, we are still trying to improve them, and especially when preparing large projects, cycling solutions are one of the elements of the preparations. However, we need a new plan for the future. That is why we are now working on a new strategy that will determine in detail how to create a safer and more pleasant environment for cycling in Brno.”
The survey was anonymous, included both closed and semi-closed questions, and also allowed respondents to mark the precise places on the map that they consider problematic or safe. According to Kratochvil, more than 3,000 people responded to the survey, confirming that the topic of cycling resonates with Brno residents.
“This survey was the first to be issued using the new municipal survey tool,” added Petr Bořecký, city councillor for public participation. “We introduced it to collect information from the city’s residents, and one advantage is the possibility to ask about specific places in Brno thanks to the so-called map questions. I am very happy that this tool has successfully passed its first functionality test with this survey.”
Survey results
1. Safe cycling infrastructure: Respondents consider the connectivity and continuity of cycling measures (94%) and cycle underpasses under busy roads (93%) to be key. Cycle lanes and two-way cycle lanes in one-way streets are also considered important (75%). This data confirms that people need to be able to move smoothly and safely around the city by bike, without having to face frequent interruptions or dangerous sections. Safe and networked measures on busy roads are therefore a priority task.
2. (Un)safe places: Among the most frequently mentioned safe places or sections were the cycle paths along the Svratka and Svitava rivers and other separate cycle paths, the areas around Technology Park and Nova Zbrojovka, and parks such as Lužánky. On the contrary, cyclists feel most at risk on busy roads, streets with poor surfaces, or places where cars park parallel to each other or directly in cycle lanes. This shows that improving cycle lane surfaces and tackling problematic interaction with car parking are further key areas to address.
3. Conflicts and incidents: Three-quarters of cyclists have had their road space restricted by inconsiderate motorists; 60% have been threatened by aggressive driving and 40% have experienced verbal attacks. These statistics draw attention to the need to increase consideration and mutual respect in traffic. As a proposed measure, several respondents suggested educational campaigns to promote mutual tolerance, as well as further education of all road users.
4. Traffic violations: The most common violation by cyclists is riding on the sidewalk, followed by riding against the correct direction of traffic. These findings boil down to the problem of (dis)connectivity of cycle routes and indicate the need for better organisation of (cycle) transport. Respondents suggested creating more safe and legal routes for cyclists, who would not have to break the rules to reach their destination safely.
5. Barriers to bicycle transport: The biggest obstacles to bicycle use in the city are poor transport infrastructure, heavy traffic and inappropriately parked cars. Interestingly, the physical demands and the hilly terrain of Brno were not considered to be significant obstacles, either by current cyclists or non-cyclists. This shows that the main problems are solvable and related to the organisation and planning of urban transport.
6. Support for urban cycling: Respondents expressed support for bike sharing services (60% positive). They also demand more high-quality and safe bicycle racks and places for safe storage of their own bicycles in the urban area (especially near the main railway station, in the city centre, near shopping centres, schools and educational institutions, near places for sports and recreation, etc.). This is therefore a potential way to encourage more people to use bicycles as a means of transportation.
Based on the survey, a detailed story map was created, in which everyone can view the detailed results of the individual feeling maps (and see where people feel threatened while cycling, where they feel safe, or where they would like more bike racks) or browse answers to the individual questions, including illustrative specific quotes from the respondents.
