Initiative details
The Netherlands is a country of cycling. There, the bike is an important means of transportation and elderly people are no exception to this. Cycling helps to keep people fit and included in their communities, but elderly people are unfortunately among the most at risk on a bike. The number of elderly cyclists injured in accidents has increased dramatically in the past 25 years.
The number of cycling victims with serious injuries has risen sharply in the past 10 years (40% in the period 2013-2022). For example, the most recent figures show that in 2022, 88,800 cyclists will end up in the emergency department in the Netherlands. Of these, 57,000 cycling victims had serious injuries (VeiligheidNL). It is expected that the number of serious road injuries among cyclists in unilateral crashes will increase by 80% over the period 2018-2040. The over-65s are regarded as an important risk target group. The group aged 65 and over is growing, the share of the over 80s is growing, they are both becoming more mobile and more opting for the bicycle as a means of transport (SWOV)
Therefore, under the motto “do not get off, but keep on pedalling”, CycleOn aims to ensure that elderly people are included in the Dutch cycle network, by motivating them to continue enjoying the health and pleasure benefits of cycling while focusing on safety.
Road safety was the main motivation for initiating the project, with a focus on behavioural change rather than infrastructure. This initial emphasis on road safety quickly transformed into a broader project of promoting cycling among the elderly for the benefit of their health, happiness and social inclusion.
The number of cycling victims with serious injuries has risen sharply in the past 10 years (40% in the period 2013-2022). For example, the most recent figures show that in 2022, 88,800 cyclists will end up in the emergency department in the Netherlands. Of these, 57,000 cycling victims had serious injuries (VeiligheidNL). It is expected that the number of serious road injuries among cyclists in unilateral crashes will increase by 80% over the period 2018-2040. The over-65s are regarded as an important risk target group. The group aged 65 and over is growing, the share of the over 80s is growing, they are both becoming more mobile and more opting for the bicycle as a means of transport (SWOV)
Therefore, under the motto “do not get off, but keep on pedalling”, CycleOn aims to ensure that elderly people are included in the Dutch cycle network, by motivating them to continue enjoying the health and pleasure benefits of cycling while focusing on safety.
Road safety was the main motivation for initiating the project, with a focus on behavioural change rather than infrastructure. This initial emphasis on road safety quickly transformed into a broader project of promoting cycling among the elderly for the benefit of their health, happiness and social inclusion.
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Seniors
Cyclists
Topic
Knowledge building and sharing
Create awareness
Education in school or in community organizations
Improve vehicles and infrastructure
Provide alternative solutions
Organisation details
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management; National Program Office CycleOn
Local Public authority
Netherlands
Country The Netherlands
Contact name
Juul van Rijn
Telephone number
0631753737
juul.van.rijn@minienw.nl
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
The programme’s activities take place as a large collaboration between many partners, such as cycling organisations, local sports groups, bike mechanics, physiotherapists and ergotherapists, organisations that support the elderly and social or religious organisations, such as the church or bridge clubs. The aim is to reach people where they are in a way that is accessible and enjoyable, promoting cycling in a safe and responsible way for the health and social benefits it can bring.
Fietsersbond (National Cyclists union): strategic cooperation with CycleOn program office, support in local municipalities. For example they have invented the concept for the CycleOn Routes (see 15.), offer bike training, organize tricycle discovery days etc.
Veilig Verkeer Nederland (Dutch Road safety association): strategic cooperation with CycleOn program office, support in local municipalities. For example their Bike safety trail in parking lots.
Community coaches sport and physical activity: these grassroot coaches are at work in every Dutch municipality. Their task is to encourage residents to exercise and exercise more.
Fietsersbond (National Cyclists union): strategic cooperation with CycleOn program office, support in local municipalities. For example they have invented the concept for the CycleOn Routes (see 15.), offer bike training, organize tricycle discovery days etc.
Veilig Verkeer Nederland (Dutch Road safety association): strategic cooperation with CycleOn program office, support in local municipalities. For example their Bike safety trail in parking lots.
Community coaches sport and physical activity: these grassroot coaches are at work in every Dutch municipality. Their task is to encourage residents to exercise and exercise more.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
Running for the last five years, the CycleOn programme collaborates with provinces and municipalities across the Netherlands to organise interventions and activities that encourage elderly people to cycle and help them to improve their own road safety.
The Dutch government facilitates these interventions by providing materials, resources, information and training. The implementation of the project, however, is heavily decentralised, with municipalities having great freedom and space for creativity in how they carry out the project. Activities on the ground vary from cycle groups, workshops with bike mechanics, information services, safety campaigns, recreational cycling campaigns, classes for e-bike training and sessions with physiotherapists who help people learn how best to cycle as the body gets older (see attachment 1: video ‘CycleOn 2018-2022’ and attachment 2: Photo Album 2018-2022).
The toolkit on the platform doortrappen.nl offers all materials, tools and means of communication. All together it helps the people in our network to organise their activities so to create awareness and behavioural change among the elderly cyclists.
For example, CycleOn has also mapped a network of cycle routes which are safe and accessible for elderly cyclists, providing an important resource for them to enjoy longer leisurely cycles. These routes tend to be about 25km long, with wide cycle lanes, lots of greenery and no dangerous interactions. A network of around 70 such routes has now been put together.
One of the most popular events of the programme is the CycleOn Day. This is a large gathering of people with a strong focus on social activities. The day involves many local partners such as bike mechanics who install free bike mirrors, service bikes, promote the use of helmets and give advice, for example about having the saddle at an appropriate height. Representatives from the cycling union, Fietsersbond, organise fun quizzes about the rules of the road, physiotherapists teach mobility exercises that people can do at home and different bikes are presented, such as tricycles, e-bikes and cargo bikes. Although the goal is to encourage elderly people to cycle more, a central element of the programme is to ensure that this is done in a good way, with a focus on safety, education, and using suitable bicycles.
The Dutch government facilitates these interventions by providing materials, resources, information and training. The implementation of the project, however, is heavily decentralised, with municipalities having great freedom and space for creativity in how they carry out the project. Activities on the ground vary from cycle groups, workshops with bike mechanics, information services, safety campaigns, recreational cycling campaigns, classes for e-bike training and sessions with physiotherapists who help people learn how best to cycle as the body gets older (see attachment 1: video ‘CycleOn 2018-2022’ and attachment 2: Photo Album 2018-2022).
The toolkit on the platform doortrappen.nl offers all materials, tools and means of communication. All together it helps the people in our network to organise their activities so to create awareness and behavioural change among the elderly cyclists.
For example, CycleOn has also mapped a network of cycle routes which are safe and accessible for elderly cyclists, providing an important resource for them to enjoy longer leisurely cycles. These routes tend to be about 25km long, with wide cycle lanes, lots of greenery and no dangerous interactions. A network of around 70 such routes has now been put together.
One of the most popular events of the programme is the CycleOn Day. This is a large gathering of people with a strong focus on social activities. The day involves many local partners such as bike mechanics who install free bike mirrors, service bikes, promote the use of helmets and give advice, for example about having the saddle at an appropriate height. Representatives from the cycling union, Fietsersbond, organise fun quizzes about the rules of the road, physiotherapists teach mobility exercises that people can do at home and different bikes are presented, such as tricycles, e-bikes and cargo bikes. Although the goal is to encourage elderly people to cycle more, a central element of the programme is to ensure that this is done in a good way, with a focus on safety, education, and using suitable bicycles.
Evaluation
What has been the effect of the activities?
Growth in reach and network from 4 pilot municipalities in 2018 to a participating and involved network of all 12 provinces, 2 transport regions and 67% of all municipalities (= 225, see attachment 3: map CycleOn municipalities May 2023).
In 2020 and 2021, there an independent monitoring and evaluation research took place (see. Attachment 4: 'Doortrappen: Final report monitoring and evaluation' -in Dutch-) in which was concluded: the cycling program CycleOn is growing and is reaching the elderly. Other main conclusions:
• The CycleOn program has grown strongly since its start in 2018 and is able to reach older cyclists at a local level. CycleOn focuses on increasing bicycle safety, but more and more attention is being paid to keeping the elderly socially active and involved. This combination seems to work well. This has emerged from research by the Mulier Institute.
• CycleOn is aimed at the elderly (60+) and is intended to keep the elderly on their bicycles as long and safely as possible.
• CycleOn participants are mainly positive about the programme. Especially when they receive practical tips that they can immediately apply to or on the bicycle. This makes them feel safer in traffic.
• In addition, many participants refer to the social aspect as an important benefit. The combination of content and social is therefore an effective way to reach and keep the target group involved and to contribute to cycling safety.
• According to municipal coordinators, it is generally successful in reaching the elderly. The challenge remains to reach the entire target group
Furthermore, growth in various and large networks consisting of governments (national, regional, local and domains mobility, health, sport, social) and civil societies and programs involving the elderly, deal with loneliness, self-reliance, fall prevention, care and welfare.
Common sense of urgency and desire to get together to reach more elderly citizens. For example, after a starting congress for all municipalities in October 2022 in de province of Zeeland (southwest in The Netherlands), this spring 8 municipalities (out of 13 in total) organised CycleOn activities. 30 to 50 elderly people participated in each activity.
Another example is the province Frieslân (north). On April 5th there was a regional launch of the CycleOn season in every municipality (18). The local alderman gave a speech, the bicycle maker checked the bikes, the participants joined the bicycle gym exercises and later on, they cycled the special CycleOn route together. The press also was present so it got a lot of attention in print and AV media.
Many participating municipalities carry out surveys after their activities and have reported improvements in cycling safety as well as an uptake in the use of helmets among elderly residents. With everything that has been learned so far in the programme, CycleOn has developed a road map at the national level to provide inspiration and ideas for further projects at the local level. With a vibrant and diverse network of participants and a strong culture of learning and knowledge-sharing, there is no end in sight for the future development of the program.
In 2020 and 2021, there an independent monitoring and evaluation research took place (see. Attachment 4: 'Doortrappen: Final report monitoring and evaluation' -in Dutch-) in which was concluded: the cycling program CycleOn is growing and is reaching the elderly. Other main conclusions:
• The CycleOn program has grown strongly since its start in 2018 and is able to reach older cyclists at a local level. CycleOn focuses on increasing bicycle safety, but more and more attention is being paid to keeping the elderly socially active and involved. This combination seems to work well. This has emerged from research by the Mulier Institute.
• CycleOn is aimed at the elderly (60+) and is intended to keep the elderly on their bicycles as long and safely as possible.
• CycleOn participants are mainly positive about the programme. Especially when they receive practical tips that they can immediately apply to or on the bicycle. This makes them feel safer in traffic.
• In addition, many participants refer to the social aspect as an important benefit. The combination of content and social is therefore an effective way to reach and keep the target group involved and to contribute to cycling safety.
• According to municipal coordinators, it is generally successful in reaching the elderly. The challenge remains to reach the entire target group
Furthermore, growth in various and large networks consisting of governments (national, regional, local and domains mobility, health, sport, social) and civil societies and programs involving the elderly, deal with loneliness, self-reliance, fall prevention, care and welfare.
Common sense of urgency and desire to get together to reach more elderly citizens. For example, after a starting congress for all municipalities in October 2022 in de province of Zeeland (southwest in The Netherlands), this spring 8 municipalities (out of 13 in total) organised CycleOn activities. 30 to 50 elderly people participated in each activity.
Another example is the province Frieslân (north). On April 5th there was a regional launch of the CycleOn season in every municipality (18). The local alderman gave a speech, the bicycle maker checked the bikes, the participants joined the bicycle gym exercises and later on, they cycled the special CycleOn route together. The press also was present so it got a lot of attention in print and AV media.
Many participating municipalities carry out surveys after their activities and have reported improvements in cycling safety as well as an uptake in the use of helmets among elderly residents. With everything that has been learned so far in the programme, CycleOn has developed a road map at the national level to provide inspiration and ideas for further projects at the local level. With a vibrant and diverse network of participants and a strong culture of learning and knowledge-sharing, there is no end in sight for the future development of the program.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
Behavioural change requires a long breath. With a large program containing many different tools and various communications, brought by many different experts and volunteers, we step by step create more awareness among the elderly to cycle more safely and to take actions to improve their own Bike safety.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
Every year, the national program office organises a CycleOn congress for everyone who is working on ans is contributing to CycleOn. They also offer quarterly meetings to provinces and municipalties.
The website www.doortrappen.nl is the platform for the whole community. We also publish a monthly digital newsletter to 900 subscribers, in which we share projects and activities with our network, so that they can also be used elsewhere in the country. The LinkedIn Group of CycleOn now counts 360 subscribers.
Furthermore, Cycle On is al ‘learning program’ we constantly are open for feedback. In every meeting, email and contact with our partners, we ask them for feedback and we collect their wishes and needs regarding CycleOn.
The website www.doortrappen.nl is the platform for the whole community. We also publish a monthly digital newsletter to 900 subscribers, in which we share projects and activities with our network, so that they can also be used elsewhere in the country. The LinkedIn Group of CycleOn now counts 360 subscribers.
Furthermore, Cycle On is al ‘learning program’ we constantly are open for feedback. In every meeting, email and contact with our partners, we ask them for feedback and we collect their wishes and needs regarding CycleOn.
