Bicycle Mobility and Urban Infrastructure

Bicycle mobility has emerged as a central component of sustainable urban transport strategies, combining health benefits, emissions reduction and congestion relief. Advances in infrastructure design—ranging from segregated cycleways and junction treatments to green corridors and secure parking—have reshaped the urban landscape and influenced mode choice. Policy innovations such as traffic calming, low-emission zones and financial incentives encourage a shift from motorised travel to utilitarian cycling, while digital tools support route planning, safety auditing and real-time monitoring. Despite these advances, challenges persist: perceived safety concerns, network discontinuities and uneven provision of facilities undermine uptake in many cities. Equity considerations demand inclusive planning that addresses the needs of older adults, women and socio-economically marginalised groups. Integrating bicycles with public transport hubs, adopting dynamic data-driven management and embedding cycling in urban regeneration projects are pivotal to achieving resilient, liveable cities. A holistic understanding of technical, behavioural and governance factors is essential to advance cycling as a mainstream urban mobility solution.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Bicycle Mobility and Urban Infrastructure publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in bicycle mobility and urban infrastructure across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Built environment: The physical urban form—including roads, cycle paths, junctions and public spaces—that shapes travel behaviour.

Perceived safety: A cyclist’s subjective assessment of risk based on road design, traffic volume and surrounding conditions.

Bike-sharing: A public or private scheme offering short-term bicycle rental to facilitate first- and last-mile connectivity.

Utilitarian cycling: Cycling undertaken for transport purposes such as commuting or errands, in contrast to recreational riding.

References

1. Unpacking the perceived cycling safety of road environment using street view imagery and cycle accident data. Accident Analysis & Prevention (2024).
2. Why Don’t People Ride Bicycles in High-Income Developing Countries, and Can Bike-Sharing Be the Solution? The Case of Qatar. Sustainability (2020).
3. Environmental determinants of cycling: Not seeing the forest for the trees?. Journal of Transport Geography (2020).