1199 | 178 | From a cyclable city to an age-friendly city: how to introduce cycling in a more inclusive mobility system?

Urban cycling is growing, reflecting an international trend whereby urban mobility is reorienting towards sustainable, clean, and healthy travel options. Even so, most contemporary cities are still dominated by the private motorised vehicle, an aspect that is further highlighted by conceptions and operationalisations of urban accessibility. This paper argues that this logic continues to condition emerging cycling cities, and thus affects the potential of the transition towards sustainable mobility. Crucial to this paper, current mobility planning notions may lead to unequal uptake of active travel between social groups; for example, an increase in cycling does not usually mean an increase in social inclusion in terms of its users (Aldred et al., 2016). Instead of serving as ‘mobility fixes’, new cycling infrastructures and services may thus be reoriented to untap their transformative potential towards the position and performance of mobilities in cities (Spinney, 2022). _x000D_
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Through a study conducted in Barcelona in 2022, this article applies the insights of the integrative Age-Friendly Cities framework (WHO, 2007) on the cyclability of the city. We analyse the mobile trajectories of 37 older adults with different degrees of cycling experience, based on biographical interviews, accompanied cycle rides and a focus group. Our findings bring an important nuance to the inclusivity of urban cycling. For example, for a more equitable uptake it is key to reduce the emphasis on physical and cognitive effort, and to move away from planning for the assumed needs of speed and efficiency. At the same time, the findings underline the benefits of cycling for an underrepresented group, as they unite functional mobility opportunities with wellbeing and active ageing. For a liveable and inclusive city, it is imperative to consider these opportunities among groups less likely to cycle and consider the social normalisation of cycling mobility across various life stages.

Wilbert den Hoed
Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Geography

ID Abstract: 178