Role of the Bicycle in the Limitation of Transport Poverty in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is well known for its large share of bicycle use and for its relatively compact cities; these conditions suggest that transport poverty may be less of a problem than in other developed countries. This paper explores the role of the bicycle in the avoidance of transport poverty on the basis of two exploratory studies. The first study focused on low-income households and showed that the bicycle did curb transport poverty but was of limited importance as a means of access to the labor market. The second study explored the ability of households without cars to maintain social networks. The study findings underlined the importance of the bicycle but also showed that the bicycle was used selectively by elderly residents and was of limited relevance to households with a social network that extended beyond urban borders.