Has Urban Cycling Improved in Hong Kong from the 1980s to Present? : A Socio-Political Analysis of Managers' and Activists' Contributions

The paper examines the flexibility of using the “stages of change” model in studying the variations in public policies in dealing with urban cycling mobility, by focusing on a ‘bicycle unfriendly’ city--Hong Kong (HK). By treating change as a process consisting of several stages, this research identifies which ones have occurred in the attitudes and actions of the HK government towards urban cycling in the past three decades. Consciousness raising, self reevaluation and environmental reevaluation are key responsible elements for the occurrence of changes in cycling policies in HK. They are initiated and facilitated mainly by cycling-advocating organizations/actors, pro-cycling experts/scholars, and the precedents of some other cities. This study provides a clear understanding of the change, and the reasons for it, in the governing of urban cycling mobility in HK. More importantly, the paper provides an instance showing that the “stages of change” model can be used on the analysis of non-individual actors’ behavioral change. We also point to some limitations of the stages of change model and suggest ways to overcome them according to the findings of the HK case study.