Investigating the safety impacts of discontinuities in cycle network: A case study of London

Abstract

With the dramatic increase in the number of cyclists, cycling safety has become a critical issue worldwide. It is important to ensure a safe, comfortable, and continuous cycling environment for cyclists. However, the safety effects of discontinuities in cycle network have been greatly ignored in the literature. This study aims to investigate the safety effects of discontinuities in cycle network inside and between Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs) in London. Bayesian hierarchical spatial model is employed using the number of accesses as spatial weights. Covariates, including cycle network characteristics, road network characteristics, exposure variables, cycle-related facilities, traffic characteristics, and environmental conditions are also considered in the model. The results reveal that the discontinuities in cycle network are significantly associated with cycle crashes. For inside-TAZ level, “discontinuity in cycle lane class” and “standard deviation of cycle link length” have positive effects on cycle crashes. For between-TAZs level, the discontinuities in cycle lane accesses, and cycle lanes and tracks density are positively associated with cycle crashes. The results emphasize the importance of minimizing the discontinuities in cycle network, not only inside the TAZ but also between TAZs. This study also provides several practical implications for future cycling infrastructure planning and construction.