Source: fietsberaad Crow

Nearly twenty percent of the users of three fast cycle routes in the Brabant region of the Netherlands previously traveled that route by car or public transport, and about 35 percent say they have started cycling more.

The province conducted the research on the F58 between Tilburg and Rijen, the F261 between Tilburg and Waalwijk and the F73 between Cuijk and Nijmegen. The construction of the F73 proved to be particularly effective; 29 percent of cyclists on this route previously used the car or public transport. With a new bicycle bridge over the Maas, the bicycle route between Cuijk and Nijmegen has become much more direct and therefore a better alternative.
Cyclists on the three routes were presented with a questionnaire both before the construction of the fast cycle routes and one year after their opening. More than six hundred cyclists completed this form.

Seven fast cycle routes are in use in North Brabant and seven other routes are under construction. In addition, the province is preparing for the construction of a number of routes or investigating their feasibility.

SmartwayZ Research

A recent survey among the SmartwayZ.NL traveler panel shows that there is still a lot of potential for fast cycling routes in the Netherlands. Two-thirds of the panel members indicate that they would cycle to work more often if there were a fast cycle route in their neighborhood. A faster ride and better traffic flow are important reasons why the panel members would want to use a fast cycle route. In addition, they value comfort, directness and safety of the route. The research also shows that campaigns for the use of fast cycle routes can be more effective; only seven percent of the panel members say they have ever come across a promotional campaign for this.