In a bid to reduce air pollution by reducing traffic congestion, save time, and to protect people from non-communicable diseases, the Environment Ministry has decided to promote the use of bicycles to travel to work, and the necessary steps for this programme are underway. Under this programme, cycle lanes will be allocated on roads, including main roads.
While this programme, in theory, could be beneficial in many ways, the most important part of this initiative is how practical it is, given Sri Lanka’s climate, people’s attitudes, and the condition of roads.
Sri Lanka is generally a hot country due to it being located near the equator, and cycling to work in the morning and in the evening in such climatic conditions is a nightmare for a lot of people. Unlike in relatively colder countries located farther from the equator, such as European countries that have a culture of cycling to work and school, the climatic conditions under which Sri Lankans have to cycle to work are significantly different and can easily be stressful. Also, Sri Lanka’s traffic congestion situation is considerably different to a lot of countries that have a culture of cycling to work.
In this context, there is a question as to how many people will actually voluntarily adopt cycling as a mode of transport to go to work, and generally speaking, who would want to go to work in the morning soaked in sweat and return home in the evening exhausted from cycling.
According to the information that has been reported, under this programme, a separate lane will be allocated to give space for cyclists. Unless the Government intends to build cycling paths or widen the existing roads to facilitate this process, this means that the space allocated for these cycle lanes will have to be obtained from main roads, which are already burdened with heavy traffic congestion, especially in rush hour times. To state the obvious, it will worsen traffic congestion when the width of main roads decreases due to the loss of a few feet to create cycle lanes.
That is not the only situation we will have to address with regard to getting the people to support and participate in this programme. There is a need for attitudinal changes as well, due to some people measuring a person’s social and economic status by the vehicle one is using, which in some cases may unfortunately be a factor that decides how much respect is given to a person. If the Government decides to implement this programme, a great deal of promotional activities, with a focus on mainstreaming the idea that cycling is not just an exercise and can be an everyday transportation method, will be necessary.
However, the two factors mentioned above, i.e. the condition of the roads and traffic congestion and attitudinal changes, point towards the fact that this should be a gradual process supported by multiple programmes, and that therefore, it is going to take time. In this context, if the Government decides to launch this programme hastily, it will be counterproductive, and will worsen existing traffic congestion in Colombo and the suburbs. Most importantly, it will inconvenience commuters, including working people, and is likely to affect their productivity. If the Government is serious about this programme, it must conduct a proper assessment of the pros and cons of this programme, and come up with practical steps and a practical timeline.
This is perhaps a good time to remind ourselves of what has happened to the bus lane programme. Even though some roads in Colombo have dedicated bus lanes, bus operators do not adhere to lane laws as they did when the bus lane concept was implemented a few years ago, and no authority seems to care about it either. That should not be the fate of the cycle lane concept, and there should be a system to ensure that those riding cycles use the lane/s allocated for them.
The Government’s intention to reduce pollution and traffic congestion by reducing the use of motor vehicles is not something we cannot appreciate. However, the authorities must look into how practical and effective it will be in Sri Lanka due to the above-mentioned reasons. This is not a question of whether the said plan is good or not, but whether Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans are ready to embrace such an initiative or not.Inserting realism into cycling to work
27 Jan 2022
Inserting realism into cycling to work
27 Jan 2022
In a bid to reduce air pollution by reducing traffic congestion, save time, and to protect people from non-communicable diseases, the Environment Ministry has decided to promote the use of bicycles to travel to work, and the necessary steps for this programme are underway. Under this programme, cycle lanes will be allocated on roads, including main roads.
While this programme, in theory, could be beneficial in many ways, the most important part of this initiative is how practical it is, given Sri Lanka’s climate, people’s attitudes, and the condition of roads.
Sri Lanka is generally a hot country due to it being located near the equator, and cycling to work in the morning and in the evening in such climatic conditions is a nightmare for a lot of people. Unlike in relatively colder countries located farther from the equator, such as European countries that have a culture of cycling to work and school, the climatic conditions under which Sri Lankans have to cycle to work are significantly different and can easily be stressful. Also, Sri Lanka’s traffic congestion situation is considerably different to a lot of countries that have a culture of cycling to work.
In this context, there is a question as to how many people will actually voluntarily adopt cycling as a mode of transport to go to work, and generally speaking, who would want to go to work in the morning soaked in sweat and return home in the evening exhausted from cycling.
According to the information that has been reported, under this programme, a separate lane will be allocated to give space for cyclists. Unless the Government intends to build cycling paths or widen the existing roads to facilitate this process, this means that the space allocated for these cycle lanes will have to be obtained from main roads, which are already burdened with heavy traffic congestion, especially in rush hour times. To state the obvious, it will worsen traffic congestion when the width of main roads decreases due to the loss of a few feet to create cycle lanes.
That is not the only situation we will have to address with regard to getting the people to support and participate in this programme. There is a need for attitudinal changes as well, due to some people measuring a person’s social and economic status by the vehicle one is using, which in some cases may unfortunately be a factor that decides how much respect is given to a person. If the Government decides to implement this programme, a great deal of promotional activities, with a focus on mainstreaming the idea that cycling is not just an exercise and can be an everyday transportation method, will be necessary.
However, the two factors mentioned above, i.e. the condition of the roads and traffic congestion and attitudinal changes, point towards the fact that this should be a gradual process supported by multiple programmes, and that therefore, it is going to take time. In this context, if the Government decides to launch this programme hastily, it will be counterproductive, and will worsen existing traffic congestion in Colombo and the suburbs. Most importantly, it will inconvenience commuters, including working people, and is likely to affect their productivity. If the Government is serious about this programme, it must conduct a proper assessment of the pros and cons of this programme, and come up with practical steps and a practical timeline.
This is perhaps a good time to remind ourselves of what has happened to the bus lane programme. Even though some roads in Colombo have dedicated bus lanes, bus operators do not adhere to lane laws as they did when the bus lane concept was implemented a few years ago, and no authority seems to care about it either. That should not be the fate of the cycle lane concept, and there should be a system to ensure that those riding cycles use the lane/s allocated for them.
The Government’s intention to reduce pollution and traffic congestion by reducing the use of motor vehicles is not something we cannot appreciate. However, the authorities must look into how practical and effective it will be in Sri Lanka due to the above-mentioned reasons. This is not a question of whether the said plan is good or not, but whether Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans are ready to embrace such an initiative or not.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!