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A Matter of Utility? Rationalising Cycling, Cycling Rationalities

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  • Rachel Aldred

Abstract

This paper discusses how dominant policy paradigms promote a 'utility' model of transport, prioritising the destruction of distance and the minimisation of time spent travelling. It suggests that within low-cycling countries, this framing has reinforced the policy marginalisation of cycling, which is cast as having problematic associations with leisure and pleasure. Hence, while the multiple benefits of cycling might seem to mandate policy support, these benefits (including health and equity impacts) seem tainted by association with cycling's non-transport connotations. The paper analyses interview data from the ESRC Cycling Cultures project to explore how cyclists and cycling stakeholders negotiate the landscape of 'utility cycling'. It examines how people appeal to a 'utility narrative', while often simultaneously appealing to considerations that apparently contradict it. Conclusions for cycling and broader transport policy are drawn.

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  • Rachel Aldred, 2015. "A Matter of Utility? Rationalising Cycling, Cycling Rationalities," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(5), pages 686-705, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rmobxx:v:10:y:2015:i:5:p:686-705
    DOI: 10.1080/17450101.2014.935149
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    Cited by:

    1. Ansgar Hudde, 2024. "Have cycling-friendly cities achieved cycling equity? Analyses of the educational gradient in cycling in Dutch and German cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(1), pages 78-94, January.
    2. Duran-Rodas, David & Villeneuve, Dominic & Pereira, Francisco C. & Wulfhorst, Gebhard, 2020. "How fair is the allocation of bike-sharing infrastructure? Framework for a qualitative and quantitative spatial fairness assessment," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 299-319.
    3. Cook, Simon & Stevenson, Lorna & Aldred, Rachel & Kendall, Matt & Cohen, Tom, 2022. "More than walking and cycling: What is ‘active travel’?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 151-161.
    4. Hudde, Ansgar, 2023. "Have Cycling-Friendly Cities Achieved Cycling Equity? Analyses of the Educational Gradient in Cycling in Dutch and German Cities," SocArXiv 7c6d2, Center for Open Science.
    5. Popan, Cosmin & Anaya-Boig, Esther, 2021. "The intersectional precarity of platform cycle delivery workers," SocArXiv tk6v8, Center for Open Science.
    6. Bloyce, Daniel & White, Chris, 2018. "When transport policy becomes health policy: A documentary analysis of active travel policy in England," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 13-23.
    7. Raffler, Clemens & Brezina, Tadej & Emberger, Günter, 2019. "Cycling investment expedience: Energy expenditure based Cost-Path Analysis of national census bicycle commuting data," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 360-373.
    8. Frater, Jillian & Kingham, Simon, 2020. "Adolescents and bicycling to school: Does behaviour setting/place make a difference?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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