Agile Transport Analysis (ATA) from Romania, welcome in the Sabrina Project. George Ursachi please introduce yourself and your organization. 

Agile Transport Analysis is a young research and consultancy company, founded in 2018 by a couple of passionate researchers and analysts. The small but enthusiastic ATA team focuses on bringing novelty and added value to the road safety area in Romania and elsewhere through innovative research, thorough analysis, multidisciplinary approaches, and through bridging the gaps between research and practitioners, between theory and practice and between road safety professionals and road users. The team have been involved in various national and international projects from devising the "Romanian Social Cost Calculation Methodology" for the Romanian Road Authority (methodology and costs that are currently used at national and international level) to assessing, analyzing, and mapping speed and road features and conditions in various countries such as UK, Ireland or Kenya.

Another focus point for the team lays on the work aimed to raise awareness about the Vulnerable Road Users, their challenges and the network usability and accessibility in Romania and other countries with developing infrastructure.

What determined ATA to join the SABRINA project?

SABRINA is a great project from this perspective as it's allowing us to firstly understand a lot about the infrastructure and learn from the experience of the amazing consortium gathered around the lead partner, but not least important, it allows us to use data and evidence to pinpoint the conditions and the challenges of the cycling activity and the cycling infrastructure in Romania. Benefiting of the outputs, deliverables and learnings from all work packages, the team can open conversations with stakeholders and can sustain with concrete arguments the need for either improvements or rethinking of routes and sections, in order to encourage safe cycling.

50% increase in E-bikes sales in Europe last years, great increase in numbers in Cargo bike as well. The future looks to be on two wheels. How can we maintain the safety of the users when it gets faster, bigger (the bike dimension) crowed on our bike lanes?

That's a good question, but I would go one step before, at least for Romania. To maintain safety, you first need to have it, to ensure it. Whereas I think that too little of the Romanian cycling "network" is safe. Especially if we talk about mixed traffic. But yes, the question is legit, and I think there is no simple answer to it, the is no panacea, no wonder solution. We will have to look at the minimum at: limiting speeds for bicycles too, building designated lanes for faster needs (cargo, delivery, etc), segregated paths, new rules and regulations; and to work a lot on education, share and inclusiveness.

How important is data when addressing politicians and other decision makers in your country. Which are relevant updates we should look into?

I am a researcher. I always hope that data and research is considered. And, at least from my latest experiences, it sometimes is. The issue, at least for Romania at the moment, is that cycling and vulnerable road users does not make it on the big agendas, they are not a hot topic, yet.

And here is where we, the private and public cycling lobbyists have to focus on: making cycling and VRUs a hot topic or joining them with a hot topic (as decarbonization). Because, to go back on the essence of the question, if you get to talk to decision makers they will be at least deterred to contradict you if you have robust data and research. My personal experience shows that they will be open to listen, understand and even implement. But again, we need to focus on getting the cycling topic on the real agendas, the ones that get pushed to implementation. That's the biggest challenge in my opinion. 

Tech and cycling – will this go well together?

I am pro tech. Tech can go well with everything as long as it is used properly and for the right purpose. For example for route planning. Let's think of a tool which is merging information about distances and times with information about safety, such as Cycle RAP will probably do, and build some safety scores for cyclists to use (in an app eventually). If you need to go from A to B and you are an experience cyclist you might still want to avoid unsafe routes, and choose something moderately safe but faster, but if you want to send the kids (legal age to ride) from A to B you might want to select the absolute safest route for them to follow. Or if you want to see what other transport means you can combine with your cycling, you can use an ITS app, or a MAAS (Mobility As A Solution) app. And there would be endless possibilities for tech to join in and help. And it will, for sure.

Holidays just finished but we already plan for the next one. Please share with us your favorite top 3 cycle routs

Definitely it is a must for any cyclist inllove with nature - ViaTransilvanica- https://www.viatransilvanica.com/en/guide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTrs0pOThh0&t=37s

Thank you George for the intresting insights. 

#safetyon2wheels #infrastructure #SABRINA