A significant contemporary phenomenon that has a profound impact on mobility patterns is the emergence of new bicycle technologies, particularly the electric bicycle. There is a lot of evidence available on the growing use of e-bikes both at the Dutch national level and across the wider European level. The effects of e-bikes on travel behaviour and the implications for sustainable land use and transport policy remains unclear both in the Netherlands and in other geographical contexts. On this basis it is important to provide better insight into the supply of e-bikes and the impacts and effects of growing e-bike use.
We propose, therefore, to investigate decision making in relation to purchase of e-bikes and their intended and actual use and the implications for land use and transport. Furthermore, it is important to understand how e-bike use varies among different social groups and within different geographical areas and different spatial contexts both within and outside of the Netherlands. This theme directly integrates with the two existing bicycle themes within the SAR project and will incorporate an important contemporary emergent phenomenon which currently overlooked in the transport and spatial planning field.