Situating the E-Cargo Bike in an Emerging Cycling Network: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

In many low-cycling contexts, cycling is routinely marginalised in transport planning practice while, in everyday traffic interactions, cyclists are frequently disregarded as legitimate road users. E-cycling can help to reduce the physical and psychological demands of cycling in such unfavourable conditions, enabling riders to accelerate faster and sustain higher speeds when on the road with motor traffic. Emerging evidence on private e-cargo cycling suggests that e-cargo bikes (ECBs) might additionally improve presence and visibility on the road. However, studies on both cargo and e-cargo cycling indicate that the atypical size and dimensions of these cycles can limit the accessibility and comfort of protected cycle networks. Following the lead of this early (e-)cargo bike research, in this qualitative study, we explored how private ECB owners on the island of Ireland experienced their local and regional cycling networks. Our study reveals the unique effects of cycle network planning, maintenance, and design practices on e-cargo cycling in this context. In particular, we found that e-cargo cyclists (i) may especially benefit from protected cycle networks due to the common use of ECBs for carrying children, (ii) may be more sensitive than conventional cyclists to the surface quality and clearance of cycle networks, and (iii) may be effectively excluded from protected cycle networks that are designed without consideration for atypical cycles and cyclists. On these grounds, our study suggests that inclusive cycle network design practice and robust maintenance regimes are paramount to enable e-cargo cycling to grow as a dynamic variant of cycling.