If you measure, they will come - investigating planners' views on the potential for floating bike data in cycling promotion

Journal article, 2026

Interest in intelligent transport systems (ITS) has recently grown in cycling promotion due to technological developments and smartphone proliferation. This study presents interviews with planners deploying ITS and floating bike data (FBD) solutions within seven European local governments with a strong focus on increasing cycling. The aim was to increase the understanding of planners' motivations and challenges in deploying these solutions. The interviews revealed that interest in ITS is particularly focused on FBD, due to its potential to mitigate obstacles in cycling promotion. We identify two main uses: first, to optimise decision-making in planners' day-to-day work; second, to use insights from FBD to convince and collaborate with citizens and politicians. While FBD shows promise in supporting decision-making, its implementation involves significant practical and organisational challenges. Regarding the second use, FBD should be understood as one component within broader strategies for developing support for cycling. While its direct contribution depends on organisational and institutional conditions, FBD may also hold longer-term strategic value by ensuring that cycling is represented within increasingly data-driven planning and policymaking. To advance the understanding of FBD's future role, it is necessary to follow up on initiatives that utilise FBD to plan for cycling.