A bicycle track (physically separated from the carriageway, see Figure 11) is safer than a bicycle lane (visually separated from the carriageway, see Figure 3). Internationally, not much research has been done into the effect of these provisions on road safety while taking into account the number of cyclists and motor vehicles. On the basis of an international literature review, Thomas and DeRobertis [38] conclude that bicycle tracks may improve road safety if measures to increase road safety at intersections are taken. In the Netherlands, the safety of bicycle tracks and bicycle lanes was compared by Welleman and Dijkstra [39] based on the number of registered crashes in fourteen cities between 1973-1977. They distinguished major junctions where arterial roads intersect (‘at-grade junctions’), the road sections in between and the ‘intervening junctions’ on these road sections. Both on road sections and intervening junctions, bicycle tracks proved safer than bicycle lanes. In the current situation, intervening junctions would mostly be priority junctions. A more recent study confirmed that, at priority junctions, bicycle tracks are safer than bicycle lanes [15]. In addition, a still more recent study showed that bicycle tracks are safer than bicycle lanes on roundabouts as well [40]. In a study in Amsterdam, SWOV is again comparing bicycle tracks and bicycle lanes. First results confirm that bicycle tracks are safer than bicycle lanes.
Figure 11. Bicycle track (Photograph: Paul Voorham).
