CYCLO Cycling cities - Local Opportunities for Sustainable Mobility and Tourism Development

1. CYCLOCycling cities - Local Opportunities for Sustainable Mobility and Tourism Development IOANNINA MASTER PLAN for the integration of bicycle use in urban planning

2. Objectives of the Master Plan 1. To find the requirementsfor the wide use of bicycle, so asto implement themthrough appropriatemeasures. 2. Create a new urban design program framework (combination of urban and transportationintervention). 3. The strategyof bicycleuse, is to give emphasis in tourism (while including leisure and sports).

3. SUMMARY The problem of bicycle use along with the corresponding infrastructure, services, etc. is beginning to be faced in the city of Ioannina. Methodology requires, that the transportation and urban planning be developed as a single. A series of empirical data must be documented, while at the same time cycle routes through local streets and other Urban Areas should be recorded. The  designing should result  according in architectural reconstructions.  Eventhe hypothesis formulated strategy (in the case study conducted for Ioannina) for the "shift in mobility“, setsas necessarythose requirements (in terms of cars and public transport), in order to create conditions for integrating the use of bicycle and pedestrian traffic in city mobility. In conclusion, the Municipal planning and designing of the City ,should implement the above methodology,and to incorporate therein the effective participation of cyclists (who are now quite dynamic). The possibilities  are offeredfor anew planning and applicationof the data in the new programmed projects (along with pedestrian and other forms of mobility) carried out the City in conjunction with the pilot project . So, the existing lakeside cycle way, will have to be connected to other routes within the city proper, as well as to improve existing works in the area.

4. Analysis of existing situation Ioannina has the typical traditional traffic organization as most Greek cities. The street planning problems and peculiarities of the morphology, are an important cause of mobility malfunction.  The ever growing mobility needs, are given patch solutions declaring one-way streets, posting signs, enforcing bans and other such measures.In any case the organization and operation of the basic road network of Ioannina is centralized - radial. The road arteries, converge toward the centre of the town where there are concentrated most of the basic city functions (administration, commerce, leisure).There are few sidewalks, which stand autonomous and do not constitute a network of walkways that connect to major activity centres (schools, plazas, recreation). The absence of such pedestrian ways - mainly in the traditional centre of the city and the new centre, allow car traffic, resulting in environmental degradation and alteration of the traditional-aesthetic character of the area.Essentially, it is a circulatory system that emerged piecemeal over time, under the pressure of soaring travel by car, which now requires major changes not only on the roads, but also on the attitudes of car drivers to make it more functional.The roads of the city of Ioannina, have some problems that are characterized as typical for historic towns, and even next to lakes or sea on one side and hills on the other, namely: • linear growth and narrow "centre"  where many analog axes of traffic meet,• lacks axles with high traffic capacity,• has a large number of narrow streets with poor geometric features,• has a large number of streets along with high gradients (uphill) and,• has unsuitable pavements (small or zero width, accumulation of other uses and street furniture, parking on sidewalks, etc

5. Ioannina road network

6. Ioannina area road network The new extended Municipality of Ioannina formed under the Kallikratis reform

7. Analysis of existing situation cont. The public transportation system, is characterized as adequate when compared with other Greek cities of same size, as there’s an extended line network. This system, mainly connects the city with outlying settlements, university, hospitals and lake-tourist area. The itinerary has the problem in being of low frequency, and not covering all areas, as well as ceasing operation quite early. This results in the need to use a car for transportation by the people. At the same time, the existing cycle ways are limited in the city lakeside area, covering in total 8 Km, built on low traffic speed roads (E30), and of single traffic direction mostly. The number of pedestrian ways is also limited, mostly in the historic centre. These facts have led to the domination of the car in mobility, thus expelling the bicycle from the road due to safety concerns.

8. Bicycle use in Ioannina In Ioannina, as in the rest of Greece, there’s an increase in the use of bicycle. The reasons attributed for this, are economic and small change in mentality. The demographic population groups that use bicycle for mobility, are: • Competitive cyclists, a small group which uses it mainly for athletic reasons, and who need encouragement to use it also for daily mobility • Regular cyclists, are a larger group and use it mainly for mobility • Recreational cyclists, use it mainly during weekends as a hobby and not for mobility, them being also a large group • Potential cyclists, are by far the largest group who could use the bicycle but for various reasons don’t do so, predominantly due to safety concerns. These categories of users, can also be subcategorized into various groups, such as working people, students, pensioners, etc who could and perhaps use bicycle for mobility, given more favorable circumstances.

9. Bicycle use in Ioannina Initially the primary group of people which the Municipality should take actions for, are the students of the city as young people adapt to new habits more easily and are greater in number. The university of Ioannina, has enrolled approx. 14.000 students, and this coupled with: the fact that it’s premises are outside the city proper, that the vast majority of the students don’t possess a car, and that the bus fare is expensive (0,8 € per trip), make them an ideal group for bicycle use. Another important population group that could use bicycle daily, are school students . The transport of children to school during week days, is estimated to 20% of daily mobility and it’s done by car during the “rush hours” of the day. However, according to research, 50% of the students state that they would prefer to use bicycle to go to school. The distances between home and school in the city are quite small as a rule, being at the most 3 km long (approx. 10 minutes by bicycle). This statement of the students, has also to do with their wish to have a certain degree of autonomy and independence (feeling grown up), and children of ages 10 to 16 years old, constitute a potentially very dynamic group for the use of bicycle providing their parents are briefed. Dynamic potential of users: According to existing data, approx. 50 persons use bicycle for mobility daily. Students who use bicycle, we presume that number approx. 100 out of the total 13.500 Athlete cyclists are approx. 20 according to : http://www.ofpi.gr/ the official page of the cycle association. • Under the hypothesis that the above mentioned cyclists number approx. 170 in a population of 100,000, so the calculated % of people who use bicycle, is quite low compared to other European cities.

10. Media Strategies and Target Groups promotion There are three general types of promotional activities to deliver the message: • Information and awareness activities that increase the attention and create curiosity to the public on bicycling. These campaigns are the best way to address a wide range of sub-groups, and target groups as they can adapt easier. • Targeted education and training programs aimed directly at groups that are likely to use bicycle more often and groups that require specific instructions or information (eg school children, the elderly, immigrants, etc.). These programs usually address potential cyclists and recreational cyclists. • Personalized promotion, that focuses on identifying people likely to be more responsive and provide personalized information. Through this "package" of advertising options, increasing awareness of people on bicycle use as a means of transport, the attitude towards cycling is influenced positively, and people gain the skills and confidence they need to review their transport habits by choosing the most appropriate for themselves (PRESTO Cycling Policy Guide - Promotion of Cycling, Intelligent Energy - Europe Programme, 2010).To be successful a strategy has to include a combination of projects and promotions as well, as piecemeal actions will not have lasting effects. In addition to promotion for the use of bicycle, measures are necessary to be taken to inform car drivers to take account of cyclists and give them the appropriate attention.

11. Strategic Cycling Network Design Selected routes that connect strategic points of the city and serve mobility, are now mostly travelled by car or bus. The network was designed to provide for continuity, which is essential for readability and safety.With the planned expansion of cycling network, the city can actually connect one end to the other using only the bicycle as a means of transport without passing through the congested city center, while avoiding uphill terrain in this region.For the design of the proposed network, it was taken under consideration: • the design/schedule of the Technical Department of the Municipality of Ioannina, • the proposals of the City Traffic Study, • the recommendations of the Group of Friends Bike (OFPI) and • stakeholders' views which were heard in the held meetings in Ioannina.  It presents the proposed network of cycle ways for Ioannina (see Map Appendix).

12. Strategic Cycling Network Design  Phase One: Connection of the disconnected parts along the lakeside path and expansion - Creation of a network on the lake island. Objective: Tourism enhancement and bypassing the city centre traffic Phase Two: Expansion of the network to the northwest and southeast Objective: Creation of routes towards the University and hospitals to facilitate student’s mobility and connect network through city centre. Phase Three: Network expansion in city proper Objective: To provide cycle ways through main city streets and thus promote mobility by bicycle Phase Four: Creation of a cycling network in the castle Objective: Tourism Promotion

13. Strategic Cycling Network Design MEMO Pedestrian ways Slow Traffic Parking Existing Cycle ways Park with Cycle Ways Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

14. Strategic Cycling Network Design Road Traffic Code on bicycle traffic - Road signs These signs are to be used in the Cycling network

15. Implementation and control issues At the organizational level, the creation of a unit on cycling is a sine qua non condition for developing a realistic and effective policy in favor of cycling.This unit must have at least one coordinator within the administration. The Project coordinator will need to call for the inclusion of bicycle and possibly be used as a central figure in all levels of the Municipality (in terms of policy making, implementation and control) and all services directly or indirectly related to the issue of cycling (urbanism, environment, public works, finance, education and youth, traffic, transport, etc.). Based on this minimum level of organization the unit may be increased or be enriched in various ways, depending on the particularities of the city and its possibilities.Apart from that unit, there is a need to set up a committee for cycling, which will bring together elected leaders, representatives of government, public transportation companies and associations representing cyclists, which together can give new impetus to the policy of the cycling of the city.Without the unit for cycling or someone responsible for cycling, we cannot even speak of policies. However, even if in that case it is possible to encourage cyclists to use their bicycles (European Commission (1999) The city goes forward with the bike).

16. Implementation and control issues Estimated cost The cost for the development of cycle ways, and the application of appropriate measures for cycling mobility, varies depending on the required actions and interventions. • The cost of simply defining a cycle way by painting the road and putting up signs, is relatively low. But there’s a problem of cars usually parking on this kind of cycle way, thus forcing cyclists to move onto the road. • The cost of creating a more specialized structure to serve as cycle way, is considerable more expensive and depends on what the structure will include and in what kind of road it is made upon. The lowest cost of such a cycle way not needing a lot of interventions and of one (1) Km length, is approx. one hundred thousand euro (100,00 €). The most expensive cycle way with major interventions, can reach the sum of 350,000 €. Thus the average cost is between those two figures = 150,000 € for 1 Km of Cycle way. • Data for costs provided by the Technical Services of the Municipality of Ioannina and Regional Authority.

17. Implementation and control issues Implementation Problems The main problems for cyclists in Ioannina are: • Safety: due to car driver’s mentality who often disregard cyclists • Weather conditions: adverse weather with rain and snow • Terrain morphology: there’s a number of hills with steep slopes Other problems-conflicts • A number of shop owners will come into conflict with the Municipality, when parking will be prohibited on cycle ways passing outside their shops. They believe that this will lead to reduction of shoppers who come by car to their stores. • Many of the city streets of the Municipality are of low width, and even on the larger one’s there’s “double parking” and bus routes, so in effect the cycling network cannot be extended onto them by creating a more specialized structure due to (cost) limited space.

18. Implementation and control issues Funding Sources Possible funding sources for the creation of cycle ways and extension-connection of the network, can be found in various programmes: • Operational Programme of Thessaly-Central Greece-Epirus • Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme • Programme Greece-Albania • URBACT Programme • Programme "Greek Management Architecture and Self Administration" - "GREECE"

19. Cycling Network Design Proposal Proposed timetable for development of the cycling infrastructure in Ioannina.The development of a complete cycling network,  can be a long term goal for the City of Ioannina. Phases are designated for development have a frame of completion of six years, provided that and the required funding resources are acquired. Six Month Periods Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

20. CYCLOCycling cities - Local Opportunities for Sustainable Mobility and Tourism Development MUNICPALITY OF IOANNINA Thank You