Dr. Paul Tranter is quite the expert when it comes to children. He believes that child friendly environments can make cities more resilient and he thinks it's time to get them cycling. 

ECF had a quick chat to him during Velo-city Global in Vancouver. 

What can transport planners do to get more children cycling?

Aim to keep or build more local shops, schools and services such as post offices.  The research is very clear here.  When children live further from these locations (e.g. more than 1.5km) they are much less likely to be allowedt to walk or cycle.  This is not only about the extra time required.  Parents are concerned that the longer the trip, the more likely children are going to encounter some hazard (e.g. traffic danger or strangers).  The current trend is to close schools, shops and services – to create superschools or larger shopping centres.  This will discourage both child and adult cyclists. 

Cycling infrastructure that separates children from fast moving traffic, as in many cities in the Netherlands.  Well-designed, integrated, comprehensive network of cycling facilities separated from motor vehicles.

Perhaps more important than building cycle infrastructure  (at least in the short to medium term) is the development of safer streets for children and cyclists by reducing speeds, particularly in residential streets.  This can be done through legislation on lowering speed limits to 30 km/h or lower, which is best supported by some type of traffic calming (physical or psychological).  This may not be popular at first, but as Enrique Penalosa explains:  “New visions do not start with majority support.  You have to take a risk to implement them”

We also support safe streets by changes to legislation that place the responsibility for traffic injuries on drivers, not pedestrians and cyclists (as in France, Germany and the Netherlands).

Streetscapes are also an important consideration for children cycling.  Streets where all the houses are dominated by double or triple garages doors, with very few windows overlooking the street, or even worse, streets with high front fences, provide no sense of passive surveillance, and limit the social interaction between houses and the street.  A more child friendly alternative is found in New Urbanist developments, where houses often have front porches with chairs, and where there is much more exchange between people and the street.

Suburbs need to have good connectivity for walking and cycling, even if they are a labyrinth for cars.  We can sometimes retrofit existing suburbs (e.g. those dominated by culs-de-sac), by having linking paths at the end of each cul-de-sac. 

Secure bicycle parking in schools and shopping centres is another fine detail intervention that has been shown to be very effective in promoting children’s cycling.

What are some of the benefits of getting children on bikes?

The obvious benefits:  - it facilitates play, and playful exploration of their neigbourhoods and cities – in other words, it’s fun.  It enhances children’s development – social, and physical.  It provides a regular form of physical exercise, and allows children to maintain contact with people and place.

Having children on the streets as cyclists also helps generate stronger local communities, as children are very effective at breaking down the learned reserve between adults.

One surprising advantage is that when there is a culture of children walking and cycling to school, this saves time for everyone.  Parents don’t have to spend as long at work to earn the money to buy the second car (which is often justified by parents as being needed to drive children to school).  When more children cycle (or walk) in their local neighbourhood, this means that parents aren't having to drive them to school, to sport, to their friends and to the shops.  So, all this time that parents usually spend driving their children is available for them to do other things (like indulge their own hobbies).

Do you believe cycling cities are friendly cities?

Yes, and evidence of this is that the most cycle friendly nations (as defined by those with the highest percentage of trips made by bicycle) are also those at the top of the list in terms of children’s well-being.  A UNICEF report ranked the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland as having the highest level of child well being.  Pucher and Buehler (2008) “Making cycling irrestible”, show that nations with the highest percent of trips made by bicycle are the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

What messages would you like to leave some of the conference participants with?

We can achieve the fundamental cultural change that is necessary to create more cycle-friendly cities if we re-discover the values that our children already exhibit when they are playing.  Children playing live in the present, rather than rushing from one task to the next.  We can learn about “slowness”, slowing down our frenetic lives, from children.  We can also learn about the value of cooperative play.  Children are very good at this.  We will need to think collectively rather than try to solve our problems as individuals.  Finally, children enjoy taking risks in their play.  We need to take a lead from children and start taking risks as planners and politicians. 

If we concentrate on the positive vision of creating more child friendly cities – cities where children are freer to playfully and safely explore their neighbourhoods and cities in ever increasing circles as they mature – then we will also create the conditions that make cycling a priority in cities.  

About Dr. Paul Tranter

Dr. Paul Tranter is an Associate Professor in geography in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences at the Canberra campus of the University of New South Wales, located in the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Tranter’s research and teaching interests are in the areas of transport geography, and global change.  He has made a pioneering contribution to the areas of child-friendly environments, active transport, and healthy and sustainable cities within academic literature

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