The project addressed the challenge of helping cities to better assess the transport impacts of walking and cycling measures so that the benefits of such projects in reducing congestion could be understood and conveyed.
FLOW began by investigating the definition of congestion, technical methods for assessing transport network quality (specifically congestion), and the transport impact analysis process. The research confirmed the hypothesis that standard tools can systematically underestimate the transport benefits of walking and cycling measures. Next, FLOW developed methods to improve the ability of transport analysis tools to assess the impacts of walking and cycling measures. Concretely, FLOW developed calculations for assessing different aspects of transport network quality, a comprehensive impact assessment tool and improvements to existing transport modelling software.
FLOW examined existing transport analysis techniques and their built-in assumptions. But the project partners realised that it was important to consider whether these techniques measure what is important to society.
Many transport analysis techniques have a narrow focus (i.e. car traffic) because in the past, insufficient computer processing capacity and a lack of data prevented a thorough assessment of all transport modes or consideration of the trade-offs in building liveable cities.
FLOW addressed the technical challenge by developing new techniques for assessing the transport impacts of walking and cycling. These built upon established techniques and represent first steps in the process of developing truly multimodal transport assessment techniques and models. The FLOW analysis techniques are summarised below.
FLOW examined existing tools and techniques and used these findings to create:
a. calculation methods for assessing multimodal performance on transport infrastructure
b. a comprehensive impact assessment tool
c. improvements to transport modelling software
The emphasis was on creating tools and techniques that more accurately assess the impacts of walking and cycling.
The FLOW multimodal transport analysis calculation methods were developed to improve the ability to assess the transport impacts of walking and cycling. Existing techniques can evaluate the transport impacts of walking and cycling measures, but they only provide mode-specific results. They cannot help decide whether it is better to add a cycle lane or a car lane in a given situation.
To address this, FLOW developed a set of five multimodal calculation methods for evaluating delay, density and LOS. These tools are based on existing techniques but add important extras:
• consideration of persons (rather than vehicles)
• a utility points-based approach for comparing modes
• optional policy-based weighting of one mode over others
The FLOW Impact Assessment Tool was developed to ensure that transport decision making considers environmental, societal and economic impacts of a proposed measure in addition to mobility impacts.
The spreadsheet-based tool can be used to evaluate the impacts of a proposed transport measure by comparing data from before and after implementation. The spreadsheet uses country-specific and EU-wide default values that can be modified by users as necessary to account for local conditions.
Transport models are complex sets of inter-related computer programmes requiring large amounts of high-quality data. Despite impressive technical improvements over the decades, the theoretical basis and algorithms do not fully consider walking and cycling because they inherited the assumptions of a time when technical limitations were much more restrictive and when political objectives favoured car-centric planning.
Models are constantly being improved based on new research. FLOW contributed through the following refinements to transport modelling:
• Micro modelling – Enhanced modelling of conflict zones between cars and pedestrians, behaviour parameters, new mobility patterns, the interaction between bikes and pedestrians and shared space;
• Macro modelling – Path-level attributes in stochastic assignment of bicycles, a modelling platform for combining two legs of a journey using different transport modes (here, shared bikes and public transport) and an enhanced representation of mobility sharing in public transport assignment
One of the project’s most important contributions has been highlighting the need to improve transport models to better consider walking and cycling.
The limitations of transport analysis tools have led to a belief among the public and decision makers that walking and cycling measures are not effective tools for improving transport system performance. Indeed, many believe that walking and cycling measures cause congestion.
The FLOW results show these beliefs are generally false. The FLOW tools will improve the assessment of walking and cycling measures, but communication is also necessary to make it clear that walking and cycling can be effective tools for improving transport system performance. Therefore, the FLOW project carried out a communications programme designed to increase the uptake of project results. Highlights include:
• FLOW Quick Facts for Cities
• How Walking and Cycling Can Reduce Congestion: Tools for Cities from the FLOW Project
• FLOW Portfolio of Measures on the Role of Walking and Cycling in Reducing Congestion
• Using FLOW’s Multimodal Transport Analysis Techniques in the Transport Planning Profession
Selected FLOW deliverables were translated into additional languages in order to reach a broader audience. The written materials were supplemented by an interactive information campaign consisting of workshops, training sessions for city representatives, direct contact with decision makers across Europe and on-line learning.
The FLOW project and its results were promoted widely among the European and global community working for more sustainable urban mobility.
