Riding the circle: Cyclists' perceived safety and comfort in urban roundabouts

Perceived safety and comfort influence cycling mode choice and behaviour. While roundabouts are associated with a decreased severity of motor vehicle crashes, recent crash data in the Netherlands suggests that this is not the case for bicycle crashes, with 12% of all bicycle crashes between 2014 and 2021 occurring at roundabouts. Previous studies have mainly focused on intersection type and bicycle facilities, and overlooked how different design elements of dedicated bicycle facilities on roundabouts affect cyclists' perceived safety. Furthermore, previous studies did not investigate the relationship between perceived safety and comfort. To address these gaps, this study aims to better understand the factors contributing to cyclists' perceived safety and comfort at roundabouts. A total of 239 complete responses from cyclists to a stated preference survey were collected. A bivariate random effect ordered probit model was used to simultaneously model cyclist's perceived safety and comfort as a function of behavioural factors and infrastructural design elements. The results revealed that roundabouts where cars must yield to cyclists and with fewer vehicular entrance points were perceived by cyclists as safer and more comfortable. Also, cyclists' place of residence (in or outside the Netherlands), their likelihood to commit traffic violations, their recent crash history, and the type of bicycle they use, significantly affect their perceived safety. To improve cyclists' perceived safety and comfort in urban environments, it is recommended to ensure bicycle yielding priority, design dedicated bicycle facilities on roundabouts and maintain uniformity in bicycle infrastructure design. • Cyclists' perceived safety and comfort of roundabouts are highly correlated. • Roundabout design and cyclist behaviour equally influence these perceptions. • Yielding priority to cyclists significantly increases cyclists' perceived safety. • High bicycle volumes (over 480 bicycles/h) reduce perceived safety and comfort. • Older cyclists and those with crash history have lower perceived safety and comfort.