Shifting from the car to cycling combined with public transport

Recent research by the Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM) shows that effective policies could shift up to 3.4% of car journeys to a combination of cycling and public transport. This change is socially desirable and crucial to addressing accessibility, climate, air quality and health challenges in the Netherlands.

Key findings:

✅ Cycling makes public transport more attractive
Cycling to stations or stops makes public transport a more attractive alternative. Shorter waiting and interchange times than with bus, tram or metro, combined with cycling's speed compared with walking, deliver significant time savings.

✅ Encourage travel outside peak hours
Around 60%–70% of car journeys that could shift to cycling and public transport through effective policies start during the morning or evening peak. Alongside encouraging the switch, it may therefore be worthwhile to promote travel outside peak hours.

✅ Mainly a shift to cycling and rail for longer journeys
80%–90% of the journeys that shift would combine cycling and rail. The remaining journeys would combine cycling with bus, tram or metro, highlighting the need to align investment, budgets and policy accordingly.

✅ Average distance of car journeys that could shift: 33–41 km
The average distance of car journeys that could shift is between 33 and 41 km. This is relatively long compared with the 17 km average for all car journeys. Shorter trips are therefore less likely to be replaced by a combination of cycling and public transport.

Interested in all the details? The full publication is available here.

📸Bolt