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Evaluation of the campaign "Bike Fridays 2011"

Location:

Poland: Gdansk (460,000 inhabitants), other municipalities in the Pomeranian Voivodeship

Project description:

Starting situation and evaluated campaign

“Bike Fridays 2010” in Gdansk was the first big campaign in Poland promoting the bicycle as a common mean of transport on the way to work and school. This pioneer and innovative bike campaign was awarded as the best Polish Social Marketing Campaign 2010 in the category “local initiatives”. Furthermore the success of the campaign 2010 in the City of Gdansk resulted in spreading the idea on neighbourhood municipalities.

“Bike Fridays 2011” was focussed on two promotion days, Friday 16th and Friday 23rd of September 2011 between 6.30 and 9.00 a.m. On ten main crossroads in the City of Gdansk some of the highest civil servant of government and other volunteers gave small gifts to cyclists passing by on their way to work or school.

You can find the description of the campaign here.

Objectives of the evaluation

The campaign was evaluated to measure the success in order to find support to continue. The evaluation was also part of the project CIVITAS MIMOSA and a precondition to disseminate the campaign idea in Poland and Europe.

Evaluation concept and methods

The campaign „Bike Fridays“ was evaluated by two public bodies using different methods. The PSWE analysed the interest and reaction of the citizens of Gdansk on this campaign. A number of volunteers counted bike-users on the main crossroads in the City of Gdansk during the event.

The questionnaire-based surveys (face-to-face and web-based) and an internet blog analysis were conducted within different actions of the CIVITAS MIMOSA project. This research had a more general character, where the campaign “Bike Friday” was only one among other of analysed measures and topics of the MIMOSA project.

Counting of cyclist during the actions

The PSWE analysis focused on the counting of passing by cyclists on ten main crossroads during the action days. This method was used during all editions of “Bike Fridays”. Volunteers conducted these counts. They used special lists produced only for this purpose. On these lists they marked not only the number of cyclists distinguishing between male and female but also the number of cyclists wearing helmets, reflective vests and using bicycles with baskets.

The counting resulted in some interesting figures: During the “Bike Fridays 2011” 5,367 cycling persons were counted between 6.30 and 9.00 a.m. on both promotion days. 2,561 persons on the first and 2,824 on the second Friday. The rate of women amounted in general 30%. The favourite accessories among the counted cyclers were helmets by men (461) and baskets by women (385). In comparison to this only 120 women wore helmets. 22 women and 40 men wore reflective vests.

The comparative evaluation of the campaigns in 2010 and 2011 shows, that the number of cyclists passing during the activities increased by 66%.

Questionnaire

This evaluation method was carried out by means of an online questionnaire (Survey Monkey) and a printed questionnaire. With this the impact of the undertaken activities on the awareness and the transport behaviour of the city’s inhabitants was analysed. The questionnaire-based survey was conducted during the European Mobility Week in September from 2010 to 2012. The respondents of the paper questionnaire were direct participants of this event. The filled in the questionnaire themselves without any pollster’s assistance.

One of the questions of this questionnaire referred to the knowledge of the campaign “Bike Fridays”: The question was: “Have you – over the last couple of months – heard of actions concerning the following issues?” To this question the respondents had three answers options: “yes”, “no” and “not sure”.

In 2011 385 questionnaires were filled in. The slogan “Bike Fridays” was recognised by 26% of the respondents. One year later 36% of the respondents recognised this slogan. “Bike Fridays” was the most frequently recognised slogan of the campaigns in Gdansk.

Target group of the evaluation:

  • CIVITAS MIMOSA project group and European funding body
  • City of Gdansk and PSWE as responsible organization
  • Sponsors

Funding:

20 working hours (appraised value took by the PSWE for the evaluation)

Organizations responsible for the project:

Pomorskie Stowarzyszenie Wspólna Europa PSWE (Pomeranian Association Common Europe),

City of Gdansk within the project CIVITAS MIMOSA Plus

Project term:

September 2011

Documentation:

CIVITAS MIMOSA Plus project report

Contact person:

Project management:

Mr. Rafal Glazik
Marketing Director
Polska Unia Mobilności Aktywnej (PUMA)
ul. Jana Heweliusza 29
80-861 Gdańsk
Phone: +48 695624634
E-mail: rglazik@mobilnosc.org

City of Gdansk:

Mr. Łukasz Kłos
URZĄD MIEJSKI WGDAŃSKU
Wydział Gospodarki Komunalnej
Nowe Ogrody 8/12
80-803 Gdańsk
Phone: +48 58 526 80 86
Fax: +48 58 526 81 62
E-mail: lukasz.klos@gdansk.gda.pl

 

 

Counting cyclists during “Bike Fridays” © PSWE

 

Counting cyclists during “Bike Fridays” © PSWE

 

Checking sheet to count cyclists during “Bike Fridays” © PSWE