Cycling has a long history as a mode of human transportation. It is highly recognised for its contributions in environmental protection, public health improvements and community vitalisation. Many international cities have accommodated cycling as a fundamental part of their own city planning. Such implementation of cycling city may not be fit into the city centres of Hong Kong due to its demographics and composition of the urban transport system. Nevertheless, many previous studies have identified the possibility to promote intra-city cycling in the new towns. This study has reviewed the concept of cycling and definition of sustainable mobility. The history of local cycling planning and development is also explored. Interview survey has been conducted in the subject new towns to retrieve valuable data from the local user’s perspective. These data are further analysed to identify the reasons for the current low utilisation rate of intra-city cycling. It was discovered that safe cycling environment and efficient cycle track maintenance contribute to higher cycling usage, while prosecution of illegal parking of bicycles deters cycling usage. Several recommendations on cycling planning and infrastructure improvements are provided for the future government policymaking. / published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

Motorized transport modes have caused many transport problems. There is an increasing concern about the importance of sustainable transport. Cycling has been widely recognized as a sustainable transport in many European countries. However, although cycling is one of the major transport modes in many new towns, the role of cycling is still only be regarded as a recreational activity in Hong Kong. The significance of utility cycling, especially the use of bicycle for education trips, has been undervalued. Therefore, this study aims to address on the importance of utility cycling to children and to increase cycle use among school children in new towns. Through carrying out an interview survey at the new town which has the highest cycle use, major obstacles to promote cycling to school have been found. As most of them are related to psychological barriers, the use of traditional approach which is infrastructural measure may not be effective. Non-infrastructural measures, so-called as ‘soft measures’, are proved to be useful to encourage more children to cycle to school. With reference to foreign experience, it is found that a coordinated approach involving many different parties is the success to promote utility cycling. This dissertation concludes by giving out recommendations on how each party could make use of soft measures to promote cycling as an alternative transport for school children in new towns. Although this study cannot reflect the whole picture of utility cycling, it could stimulate more interest for further research on the development of cycling in Hong Kong. / published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management