Network Analysis of Denmark’s Bicycle Infrastructure: Data & Infrastructure for All?

Car-dominated mobility systems contribute significantly to the climate crisis, cause more than a million traffic deaths each year, and reduce the freedom of movement for anyone not driving. Therefore, it is increasingly accepted that current mobility patterns need to change, with cycling being a key solution to reduce transport-related emissions. Cycling moreover offers numerous benefits to individual cyclists and society and is often an indispensable mobility mode for the many people who do not drive. However, cycling conditions remain inadequate in many areas, hindering a transition away from motorized transport. Despite growing interest in active mobility, cycling conditions are understudied, especially outside urban areas. One major obstacle is a lack of available, high-quality cycling data.

This thesis examines three key questions concerning data-driven bicycle research, focusing on cycling conditions in Denmark: (1) What is the quality of bicycle infrastructure data? (2) What are the spatial patterns in bikeability and access to low-stress bicycle infrastructure in Denmark, and how can they be understood from a perspective of transport
equity? (3) How can data-driven tools support bicycle network planning?

Our findings reveal that bicycle infrastructure data often suffer from inconsistencies and low quality, reflecting historical underinvestment in active mobility data. This data heterogeneity creates an information gap and necessitates extensive preprocessing, creating barriers to cycling research and planning. Additionally, we find that bikeability and access to low-stress cycling infrastructure are highly spatially clustered, with substantial disparities between urban and rural areas. While urban areas generally benefit from better cycling conditions, large segments of the Danish population are deprived of the advantages of active mobility. The geographical differences in bicycle infrastructure access and data quality highlight the need for a spatial perspective in cycling research. Finally, we demonstrate that data-driven tools can aid bicycle planning by generating insights into complex planning questions that involve large geographical areas. Despite Denmark’s status as a ‘cycling nation’, there is ample room for improving cycling conditions—particularly outside the larger cities, where a lack of strategic, longdistance connections limits cycling mobility. Addressing these challenges demands not only political commitment and increased investment but also strengthening the data foundation for cycling research and planning, enabling a more strategic and systematic approach to cycling infrastructure.