Observiaire and film as an analysis method for bicycle traffic

The goal of this thesis is to analyse whether the method “Observiaire” is of any use for traffic analysis. The method consists of analysing film material, preferably before and after changes are made to an area, by answering a survey for the users that are observed within the population. The method also opens up for deeper qualitative analyses which are rooted in the quantitative data collected from the survey-study. In this study we analyse the method by applying it to the case study of the changes made at Götgatan in Stockholm, where a green wave was implemented and the bicycle road widened. By analysing how the changes has affected the cyclists we then compare the data with the results one can expect from the more used methods such as flow measurement and research of travel habits. The result of this comparison shows that the more common analysis methods leave a void for which kind of data they can gather, a void that the Observiaire method can help to fill. With the data obtained from this study we then show that the changes made at Götgatan has a positive effecton its bicyclists. By comparing the changes with data collected through interviews and a literature study we argue that a focus on enhancing the experience for cyclists can have a positive effect, both for the cyclists but also socioeconomically