This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Boyack urges greater tolerance on Scottish Roads
23/04/2001
Transport Minister Sarah Boyack today called for greater tolerance on Scottish roads following the publication of research into the attitudes of different groups of road users towards each other.
The Scottish Executive study entitled 'Sharing Road Space: Drivers and Cyclists as Equal Road Users' and carried out by an independent research company highlights the differing attitudes of drivers and cyclists towards sharing road space and makes recommendations on how to educate road users into being more tolerant of each other.
The main findings were:
- When priorities are assigned to different types of road user, those types of transport offering a public service are perceived, by both drivers and cyclists, to have greatest priority on the road.
- Although cyclists are thought to be very vulnerable road users, they are not generally considered by drivers to deserve priority on the road. Drivers who do also cycle, however, show greater tolerance towards cyclists.
- Drivers are supportive of cycle use in bus lanes, but less so of other aspects of cycle provision such as special cycle lanes, advanced stop lines and filter lanes.
- Poor perceptions of cyclists generally are often based on the bad habits of a few. In contrast, although cyclists attributed poor driving of a minority of bad drivers, in general they had a fairly good perception of drivers.
- Drivers felt that the costs of special provision for cyclists were too high in relation to their needs.
- Only those respondents who are "professional" drivers have been made aware of any extent of changes in road provision to accommodate cyclists. The research concluded there was a need for fresh educational and/or information campaigns.
- Respondents acknowledged the need for a change in attitudes to help foster more positive road sharing habits. They conceded that growth in cycling would be limited without greater acceptance of cyclists by other road users.
Commenting on the research, the Minister said today:
"Fewer cyclists will be tempted to take to Scottish roads in the future unless there is a greater acceptance of them by other road users. A more understanding attitude is needed by both drivers and cyclists of the needs of each other, in order to help create more positive road sharing behaviour.
"The Executive is determined to create a safe and accessible road environment for all road users, and special cycling provision has gone some way to achieving this.
"It is heartening to learn that respondents thought that public transport services should be given priority on the road and accepted that bus lanes were a fair and efficient means of providing an effective public transport service. This research will provide useful reference material for those involved in the provision of road space for different groups and for those in the field of road safety and road infrastructure education."
BACKGROUND
1. The research, entitled 'Sharing Road Space: Drivers and Cyclists as Equal Road Users', was carried out by George Street Research. The qualitative study involved focus groups discussions and face to face interviews with respondents selected on the basis of road use in specific locations in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, which provided different road space provision. Road users interviewed included cyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers of private and commercial vehicles.
2. The Scottish Executive is currently carrying out a review of the up-take of cycle training in Scottish schools, and is involved in a review by RoSPA of adult cycle training available. The Executive is commissioning a national cycling survey to establish whether the extent of cycling has increased in the past few years and what impact the provision of cycling infrastructure has had on cycling.
News Release: SE1044/2001
23 Apr 2001