Cyclists’ exposure to atmospheric and noise pollution: a systematic literature review

Cyclists constitute a population particularly exposed to atmospheric and noise pollution in urban environments; at the same time, they contribute to its reduction. For about ten years now, more and more studies have been completed to assess cyclists’ exposure, comparing this mode of transportation with others, quantifying its impacts in term of individual and collective health, understanding cyclists’ perceptions regarding their exposure, etc. Though some literature reviews have examined some of these specific issues, none have yet proposed a general overview of this field of study. Therefore, this mapping literature review fills this gap by jointly analysing 205 articles and identifying elements of consensus and disagreement, as well as existing gaps. Among others, our results indicate that the cities in the South and exposure to noise are under-studied and that cyclists’ ventilation is still too rarely accounted for, regardless of the type of studies. Modelling studies regarding exposure are too heterogeneous methodologically to allow a generalisation of their results. Conversely, intermodal comparison studies clearly indicate overexposure for cyclists compared to other modes. Also, health studies conclude that, either individually or collectively, the benefits of cycling surpass the costs of exposure to atmospheric pollution. The knowledge produced by this research trend remains difficult to exploit by urban planners, but the recent work done seems to offer more practical perspectives to professionals.