ABSTRACT
From 2006 to 2011 Seville experienced a rapid growth of urban cycling, from a negligible participation in the modal share up to a 5.6 per cent of the total mobility (9 per cent of vehicular trips). This rapid growth relied on some active policies heavily based on the rapid building of a continuous and homogeneous network of separated-from-traffic cycle paths. In addition separation from motorized traffic, connectivity, continuity, visibility, uniformity, bi-directionality and comfort have proven to be valuable criteria for the design of such infrastructures. All these criteria are aimed to make cycling not just safe but also easy and comfortable for everybody. Our analysis suggests that the rapid building of such infrastructure provides solid grounds for the development of utilitarian cycling with a high cost effectiveness, even in cities without a previous tradition of cycling, such as Seville. However this strategy also has limits, revealed by the stagnation of cycling mobility after 2011. This suggests that cycling policies have to be proactive and should help foster further complementary sustainable mobility policies.
