The role of linear green infrastructure for cycling: a literature review

The transport system, especially at the urban level, is dramatically unsustainable due to the predominant use of motor vehicles. One of the most promising solutions is to encourage a modal shift towards active mobility, but effectively promoting walking and cycling is a challenge. Although there is an abundant literature on the importance of the built environment and cycle routes to foster cycling, very little is known about the role of linear green infrastructure. The aim of this literature review is to summarise the main empirical evidence on this topic and to detect the gaps in the existing literature. To this end, we selected 111 papers and analysed them in terms of the methodology used to collect and analyse the data and the factors that condition the impact of linear green infrastructure on cycling. We found that the majority of the papers are based on stated preference data and that the description used to characterise the linear green infrastructure is highly heterogeneous, reducing the comparability of the results obtained. Overall, the impact on modal shift is positive, but it is significantly conditioned by the co-existence of cycle lanes and a number of additional factors related to the built environment and the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents.