Which route do cyclists take to get from A to B? How long does it take them? And at what time are they travelling? To find out, the Dutch Cyclists' Union are organising the very first National Bike Counting Week from 14 to 20 September 2015.
National Bike Counting Week: Is our cycling infrastructure adequate? Photo © Holland-Cycling.com
There are 14 million cyclists in Holland, but relatively little is known about where and when they're out on their bikes. National Bike Counting Week (Nationale Fiets Telweek) is a way to collect data on the behaviour of these cyclists. What route do they take from A to B, how long does it take them, what time of the day are they travelling? How many other cyclists are out on the road and where are the delays? The more we know about cyclists' behaviour, the better we can tailor bike infrastructure to their needs.
The National Bike Counting Week is organised by the Dutch Cyclists' Union in collaboration with several organisations that focus on mobility. The Dutch Cyclists' Union distributes an App that will track the movements of cyclists through the GPS of their smartphone. By cleverly analysing the data of location and movement, it's possible to deduce whether a person is cycling or using another means of transport.
The Dutch Cyclists' Union hopes the data of the National Bike Counting Week will support their lobby for better cycling circumstances. More insight into when and where cyclists actually cycle, will help them campaign for new cycle paths or improving existing bike infrastructure. The Dutch Cyclists' Union plans to turn the National Bike Counting Week into a yearly event.
Taking part
At the moment of writing, 28,396 people have already registered to participate in the National Bike Counting Week. Are you in Holland from 14 to 20 September and do you want to take part as well? Then go to the website of the Dutch Cyclists' Union to download the free App [update: App is no longer available]. All you need to do is make sure your phone with GPS function is on and go out cycling.
The App will automatically measure how long it takes you to get from A to B, which route you've chosen and your speed. This data is automatically sent to a central database. The organisation promises the privacy of all participants is guaranteed. So get on your bike to help improve the Dutch cycling infrastructure!
Source: Dutch Cyclists' Union
Read about the results of the National Bike Counting Week on Amsterdam has slowest cyclists.
