Bicycles on Public Transport
The huge success of the bike lanes and the implementation of the public bicycle system has increased the number of Cyclists in Seville from aprox. 6000/ day in 2006 to more than 60.000 / day in 2010. This gives reason to the consideration of offering public transport service to cyclists from outside the city that helps them to “jump” the highway-belt and get to the the urban cyclable area of Seville.
In the case of buses the locations where bicycles can be carried can be grouped into four types:
1. Inside the bus
This option was ignored for potential conflicts
between cyclists and other users
2. Adapting a trailer to the vehicle
This option was ignored for almost certain
handling problems in the narrow streets of Seville.
3. External support on the front of the bus.
Ignored for legal problems
4. External support on the back of the bus.
Rear racks are legally approved in Europe and have
an acceptable capacity to meet a significant market demand.
We analyze this possibility statistically in the corridor between “dos Hermanas and Seville, with the following results concerning the estimated demand:
On an “urban” route the
number of users who use bikes as a part of their trip would at least double if the service was offered. While at the moment there are at least 220 persons who use bikes, this number would rise to
a potential demand of al least
505 users per day.
On an interurban route the
number of actual bicycle users is not that high, so the number would multiply by 5 if the service was offered. While at the moment there are at least 47 bycicle users amongst the passengers this
number would rise to a potential
demand of at least 331 users per day.
Finally, based on the structure of the mobility of Seville and its metropolitan area the study suggests some urban and interurban lines in which to identify conditions for expanding the system.
Elaborated with the department of Transport of prointec / Mecsa in
Seville for the administration of the region of Seville