What does maintenance of infrastructure mean for pedestrians and cyclists – A knowledge summary

This report summaries knowledge concerning the impact of the maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The aim of the literature review was to compile existing knowledge on operation and maintenance of the transport infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, the highlight how operation and
maintenance affect pedestrians and cyclists, in terms of accessibility, safety and security. The reviewed literature revealed a number of issues of relevance concerning the importance of maintenance of infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists. There are very few studies on vulnerable road users’ ability to travel with the same transport quality as the other road users, especially in rural areas and in smaller cities. Furthermore, a change in attitude in decision makers and planners is needed to give walking and cycling a higher status. Moreover, studies analysed in this report have shown that the pedestrian infrastructure is not perceived to be as well developed as the one for motorised modes of transport. Moreover, it was found that walking and bicycling has to be treated as own and separate modes of transport and that there seems to be a lack of understanding of the user perspective of pedestrians and cyclists when it comes to maintenance.