Good practice examples: Cohabitation of cyclists and pedestrians
Bolzano: Awareness campaign
Brighton & Hove: Shared space street
Mannheim: Bike streets
Potsdam: “Lifted” bike path
Strasbourg: Lower fines for cyclists
Vitoria-Gasteiz: New regulations
[Back to "European Biking Cities" homepage in English / in German]
Bolzano: Awareness campaign

December 2013, Bolzano set up the campaign Gemeinsam unterwegs/Insieme attraverso la città to improve relations between cyclists and pedestrians. With Bolzano’s cycling mascot Max being the public face of the campaign and with explicitly positive messages, the campaign aims to improve cyclists’ knowledge of – and compliance with – traffic regulations, while at the same time expressing appreciation for every single cyclist. The campaign targets all age groups and includes training for school children, public events, and the provision of leaflets, posters and street signs along cycle paths and around the most important shared spaces in the medieval old town, near schools and in parks.
More information:
- Campaign Gemeinsam unterwegs/Insieme attraverso la città in Italian / in German
- Press release, December 12, 2014: Ciclisti e pedoni: rispettiamoci! / Gemeinsam unterwegs: Mehr Sicherheit zu Fuß und auf dem Rad
- Pictures and positions of campaign street signs
- Case study of the European CHAMP project: “Cycling promotion & safety, Bolzano
Brighton & Hove: Shared space street

New Road in Brighton & Hove’s inner city used to be a rather run-down back alley dominated by vehicle-focused design. The street was redesigned and opened in 2007 as a shared space street. The new design, which features minimal ’restrictive’ street furniture, a good deal of public seating, and time on benches and in street cafés. User surveys show a very high approval rate for the street’s design among pedestrians and cyclists. Car drivers state that they mostly avoid New Road in the afternoon and evening when the number of pedestrians is especially high, and despite rising numbers of cyclists, relations between pedestrians and cyclists are smooth.
More information:
- Development plan by Gehl Architects, 2005: “The Cultural Mile”
- Description of project results by Gehl Architects: “Paving the Way for City Change“
- CIVITAS funded study on effects of the New Road redesign: “The Social and Emotional Benefits of Good Street Design” by Jim Mayor & Benjamin Coleman (Brighton & Hove City Council), August 2011
- Presentation at the annual business and technical conference of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network in June 2011: “Designing Streets for Different users - New Road, Brighton and Hove” by Rob Fraser and Lydie Lawrence, Brighton & Hove City Council
Mannheim: Bike streets

In the 1980s and 1990s, narrow bike lanes have often been added to already narrow pavements in Mannheim’s inner city which limited the space available to pedestrians and cyclists. This has led to increasing conflicts with cyclists especially in front of highly frequented shops, restaurants and schools. To ease these tensions, one solution in Mannheim is to convert suitable streets into bike streets where cyclists have priority and can safely use the road. German national law permits such conversions where cycling already is – or is expected to become – the dominant mode of transport. Bike streets are marked by special street signs and road markings. In most cases additional signage also allows cars to use these roads. However, cyclists are allowed to cycle next to each other while car users have to reduce their speed and a general speed limit of 30 km/h also applies.
More information:
- List of bike streets in Mannheim
- Video on bike streets in Mannheim
- Information sheet on bike streets by the “Arbeitsgemeinschaft fahrradfreundlicher Kommunen in Baden-Württemberg” (Association of bike friendly municipalities in the state of Baden-Württemberg)
Potsdam: “Lifted” bike path

Potsdam has a very strong public transport network. To avoid problems with cyclists at highly frequented tram and bus stops, the city started to test a first so-called ’lifted’ bike path in June 2014. The lifted bike path cuts straight over the platform of a barrier-free bus and tram stop. This makes the bike path attractive to use for cyclists, as they don’t have to curve around the stop. It is also clearly visible for waiting passengers who have enough space beyond the bike path. At the same time its lifted position as well as its guidance directly along the edge of the platform makes it clear to cyclists that they have to stop when passengers enter and leave trams or buses.
More information:
- Detailed execution plan
- Press release Landeshauptstadt Potsdam, June 5, 2014: “Behindertengerechte Haltestelle am Rathaus eröffnet“
Strasbourg : Lower fines for cyclists

French national traffic law prescribes the same fines for cyclists and motorists even though the potential harm caused by cyclists breaking traffic rules is mostly much smaller. Within a broader communication campaign to avoid conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians, in 2012 Strasbourg started a national pilot project: fines for cyclists violating traffic regulations were halved but were also enforced more strictly. It was assumed that fines for cyclists were often not enforced as they were viewed as unreasonably high; this was seen as almost encouraging cyclists to break traffic rules. The pilot project may lead to reduced fines for cyclists in national law.
More information:
- Information brochure for cyclists on the pilot project: "À vélo aussi, je respecte le code de la route"
- Global Site Plan, August 29, 2014: „Strasbourg, France Tests Reduced Traffic Fines for Cyclists – Are They Effective?“ (discussing effects of the pilot project)
- The Connexion, January 2015: “New fines to cut cycling accidents” (on a potential reform in national traffic law)
Vitoria-Gasteiz: New regulations

After consultations with relevant stakeholders, a new regulation on cycling in pedestrian zones and on pavements came into effect in January 2014. Cycling on pavements is now only allowed on pavements that are wider than 3 m, in places where there is no separate bike lane, or next to roads without traffic calming measures. In some pedestrian areas, cycling is no longer permitted during peak hours (between 11:00 and 13.00, and from 17.30 until 21:00 in summer or 22:00 in winter). At the same time, safe alternative cycling routes have been created throughout the city centre. A traffic calming project converted 47 streets into so-called calmed streets with fewer car lanes, more (contraflow) bike lanes and speed limits of 20 or 30 km/h.
More information:
- City Council webpage „Nueva regulación de la circulación de bicicletas por la ciudad“ with links to the new by-law and the following leaflets for cyclists: