ABSTRACT
The study into the bicycle-train system shows how influential cyclists’ organizations have been in the development of good bicycle facilities at Dutch stations. This confirms the scientific findings that users matter in the process of transition and innovation. The history of the OV-fiets (public transport bicycle), as the final link, illustrates this very clearly. Chain mobility came to the attention of urban planners early in the twentieth century. They identified the positive effect of rail transport in cities in combination with pedestrians and cyclists as feeders of the system. Dutch urban planners consistently put this theory into practice from 1958 onwards. National policy documents contained early targets to reduce car traffic by promoting the combination of bicycle and train as an alternative. The Dutch Railways had a significant influence on Dutch compact city policy. They investigated the factors that were important for generating passenger transport by train and discovered the importance of transit-oriented development (TOD). The case of Houten, near Utrecht, shows how theory was translated into the development of an ideal bicycle city. The development of the social cost-benefit analysis brought about a breakthrough in the economic valuation of the various links in the transport chain.
