It is true that cycleways in many countries are unsafe, or of a low quality. But this doesn’t mean cycleways have to be this way.

We know how to design them properly, for safe, comfortable and efficient cycling – we just need to look at how cycling infrastructure is designed in the Netherlands and Denmark. These two countries, which have the highest density of cycleways, have the best cycling safety record by far.

Good cycling infrastructure reduces interactions with motor vehicles to an absolute minimum, and ensures that where interactions have to occur, they take place at slow speeds, with good visbility and clarity about how people should behave.