How the position of a cycle lane installed on an urban residential street impacts on the behaviour of young drivers

In this driving simulation study, we evaluated the change in driver behaviour of forty young drivers (20 females) following the conversion of a 2-way local street into a 1-way one with a cycle lane in a typical residential neighbourhood. Twenty drivers who were also used to commuting/travelling by bicycle were selected for the study. We compared three road layouts: (i) a standard 2-way urban street with no cycle lane (baseline), (ii) a 1-way street with a cycle lane on the right side, and (iii) a 1-way street with a left-side cycle lane. Driver behavioural metrics when interacting with cyclists including overtaking speed, lateral position in the lane, and vehicle-cyclist clearance were analysed using linear mixed-effect models. Speed and lateral position in the lane were also analysed in the non-overtaking phase. Significantly better driver behaviour was observed in layouts with a dedicated cycle lane, manifesting itself in greater lateral distance values for safer overtaking and better trajectory control. Drivers were more likely to stay within their lanes, eliminating the need to alter trajectory when passing cyclists, thus promoting better longitudinal and lateral control. The presence of a cycle lane significantly improves the interaction between drivers and cyclists, regardless of the position of the cycle lane, i.e., left vs. right side with respect to the vehicle lane. While the results do not favour a particular side, designers should also consider cyclist preferences and driver expectations at intersections. Further research is crucial to validate findings and explore lane positioning effects near intersections, and greater emphasis should be placed on determining cyclist preferences in terms of infrastructure design.