When reading about bike races and marathon efforts one cannot not admire the people who are keen on this sport, such as the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport bike ride last month. Commendably, more people are being encouraged to use bicycles to lessen the use of polluting vehicles with internal combustion or hybrid engines. Perhaps alongside this we can take a leaf out of Taiwan’s book and cut down on competition in the use of our limited road network paid for from licence fees, tax on vehicle insurance policies and duty on fuel, which bicycles use at no cost!
In downtown Taipei City, 120 kilometres of bicycling routes have been established, mostly on shared walkways, thus not narrowing pre-existing roads or streets! The Taiwan Cabinet Level Sports Affairs Council has budgeted US$125 million to develop a network of bike paths around Taiwan from 2009 to 2012. That’s vision and commitment to a cleaner environment. Some 250 kilometres of paths have already been established in recreational areas of Taipei City and Taipei County. Last year alone the Taiwan Tourism Bureau succeeded in commissioning 172½ kilometres of cycling routes in scenic areas of Taipei and eastern Taiwan Island. The same amount is planned for this year.
Significantly, there is a growing desire among urban dwellers in Taiwan for opportunities to make bicycle-riding part of their daily lives. A survey by the Taipei City government in April last year showed that the number of Taipei residents using bicycles as a major means of transport had risen from 1.9 per cent in 2006 to 6.1 per cent.
To motor this development has been undoubtedly the ease of bicycle use. The cities of Taipei and Kaoshiung on Taiwan have even launched public bike hire, many of which are located close to mass rapid transit train stations or in sightseeing areas. The bikes can also be picked up and returned to different locations, adding to their convenience as a public transport option. The uptake has been encouraging. Since May 2009, there have been around 10,000 rentals per month in both Taipei City and the harbour city of Kaohsiung. For recreational purposes a disused former railway line in Taichung County was converted into a bike path in the early 1990s – that’s vision. This bike track alone attracted close to half a million riders last year!
Promoting bike use should, however, not necessarily do without the use of private and public vehicles. Our islands’ small size and particular geographic features, such as the various high inclines, unlike for example the relatively flat Netherlands, and traffic bottlenecks, should be included in the equation. A good balance should be struck. Bicycles are a low cost and low pollution transportation option and are especially suited to getting around compact and densely populated urban areas and neighbourhoods. The promotion of bicycle riding, not only for recreation, but also as part of mainstream transportation is worth considering. “Safe cycling” should be a high priority for a society seeking the sustainable development of its cities and the health of its citizens. Thus, perhaps consideration should be given to providing bike lanes not on busy main roads but on secondary ones, the commissioning of a “bike park” for example in some disused part of Ta’ Qali and Hal Far in Malta and Ta’ Landrjiet in Gozo, and prohibiting the annoying practice of bicycling on heavily-used pavements such as those in Tower Road, Sliema and Main Street, Balluta.
J. Bonett
BALZAN