In recent decades, hundreds of fast and pleasant footpaths and cycle routes have been lost due to the construction of roads, railways and waterways. Taking ferries out of service has also meant that distances are now often too far to cycle. The Fietsersbond cyclists’ association and the Stichting Landelijk Fietsplatform (national cycling platform association) have sounded the alarm with regard to this increasing barrier. For cyclists who cycle every day, kilometres count. Walkers and horse riders are also affected by the disappearance of short, traffic-free connections. The result is increasing car use in the Netherlands; even a relatively small increase in distance may encourage the cyclist or walker to take the car.

Barriers can include many kinds of obstacles. In the project ‘cycling without barriers’ implemented by the Fietsersbond and the Stichting Landelijk Fietsplatform (SFL), the main concern is the blocking of bicycle connections by major traffic infrastructure, particularly motorways and roads, railways and waterways. Infrastructural barriers within the built-up area will mainly consist of railways and yards, because stations are usually in the town. On the other hand, the Dutch motorway network is not directly oriented towards towns. However there are often ring roads or motorways at some distance from the built-up area. These interrupt the connection between the built-up area and the outskirts (urban-rural connections) and between different centres (interlocal traffic).
The impact of a barrier depends on the different interests of cyclists (and other slower traffic). In order to assess the effects of barriers, these interests must be charted.