With the new guideline, the province intends to further strengthen cycling use, given Limburg's strong reputation as a cycling province. The Cycling Test offers local authorities, designers, developers, and permit issuers a practical framework to consider a project's impact on cyclists from the initial design stages. This is a direct implementation of an action from the Space Pact 2040 and the Regional Mobility Plan of the Limburg Transport Region.
The Cycling Test introduces a "cycling reflex" within spatial policy, encouraging projects to be viewed through the cyclist's eyes, focusing on questions of accessibility, safety, routing, and cycling comfort. The guideline can be used for spatial plans, construction projects, and permit applications, supporting municipalities with advice and the province in assessing larger projects.
This tool helps identify opportunities and bottlenecks early in the process, allowing sustainable mobility choices to be integrated into the design. The guideline is based on four building blocks: location and accessibility, internal circulation, bicycle parking and access to the unit, and supporting facilities like charging and repair points, and shared mobility. Systematically incorporating these will better align projects with existing and future cycling networks.
The province of Limburg provides the Cycling Test to municipalities as a support instrument. The guideline compiles design principles, points of attention, and practical examples to structurally incorporate cycling-oriented work into spatial policy. An accompanying poster summarizes the building blocks and basic principles.
