20.5.16
Cycling Fallacies
Your cycling fallacy is…
“If you put in a cycle lane, or pedestrianise a road, shops will get less business.”
The Response
Cycling infrastructure (or
pedestrianisation) does not restrict access to shops – it can actually
make the streets and roads shops are on nicer places to visit,
increasing footfall, and overall demand.
Many studies – from the Netherlands in the 1970s, to big US cities in the 2010s – have found that installing cycle infrastructure does not have a negative effect on income of businesses, and in most cases has a positive effect.
It's a popular myth that people who arrive by car spend more. People who arrive at shops on foot, or by bike, may spend less per visit, but they will visit more often, and they will spend more money overall. And being able to access a shop easily by foot or by cycle means that more frequent trips involving smaller ‘baskets’ become more convenient.
The headline message is: well-designed streets that make cycling and walking attractive are good for business. And in any case, cycling infrastructure won't stop people driving to shops, or parking near them and walking a short distance.
Many studies – from the Netherlands in the 1970s, to big US cities in the 2010s – have found that installing cycle infrastructure does not have a negative effect on income of businesses, and in most cases has a positive effect.
It's a popular myth that people who arrive by car spend more. People who arrive at shops on foot, or by bike, may spend less per visit, but they will visit more often, and they will spend more money overall. And being able to access a shop easily by foot or by cycle means that more frequent trips involving smaller ‘baskets’ become more convenient.
The headline message is: well-designed streets that make cycling and walking attractive are good for business. And in any case, cycling infrastructure won't stop people driving to shops, or parking near them and walking a short distance.
Further reading
- STATISTICS LIBRARY / PROTECTED BIKE LANE STATISTICS from People for Bikes
- How Bike Lanes Increase Small Business Revenue from Triple Pundit
- More proof that bike lanes boost business from Tree Hugger
- The Complete Business Case for Converting Street Parking Into Bike Lanes from CityLab
- Seattle Transit Blog: Business on NE 65th dramatically increased after bike lane was installed from Seattle Bike Blog
- It's time to talk about shopping (summary of research) from The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain
- Report: Business Leaders Tout Economic Benefits of Protected Bike Lanes from Pitch Engine
- Bike lanes aren't just safer for cyclists – they're good for business too from FastCoExist
- Shop Blocked from Bikeyface
- Not-Cyclists from Bikeyface
