Report outlines costs of cycling interventions

‘Cycle superhighways’ and the remodelling of major junctions are two of the most expensive interventions to improve conditions for cyclists, according to a new DfT report.

Published on 6 September, the report outlines the typical costs of introducing cycling interventions – based on phase 1 of the Cycle City Ambition programme*.

The types of scheme covered in the report include cycle superhighways, mixed strategic cycle routes, resurfaced cycle routes, cycle bridges, 20mph zones, remodelling major junctions and cycle crossings on major roads.

A cycle superhighway is an extended cycle route that ‘enables direct, rapid and safe cycle trips’ that are largely segregated from traffic along an arterial route.

Costs for these range from £1.15m to £1.45m per kilometre for a two-way physically segregated superhighway, to £740,000 per kilometre for a two-way lightly segregated superhighway.

Remodelling major junctions costs between £1.56m and £1.61m for cycling-specific schemes and £240,000 for ‘piggybacking’ cycling on measures for other traffic.

The costs in the DfT report are determined by the number and size of the roads forming the junction, the complexity of the junction layout, and the number of strategic cycle route trajectories across the junction that the junction remodelling caters for.

20mph zones are estimated to cost £10k-15k per km with traffic calming measures, and £2k-3k per kilometre without.

A separate report also published by the DfT on 6 September reveals that cycle lanes which are separate from motor traffic would motivate a third to cycle more.

The 2016 Local Road Users Survey outlines public attitudes towards buses, cycling and walking.

At 33%, separate cycle lanes was the top factor to get more people cycling – while 28% of people disagreed that cycling facilities in their area were good.

*The Cycle City Ambition programme provided grants to eight cities, or groups of cities, in England.

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