Sustainable Mode of Transport Through Bicycles

COVID-19 crisis has affected many people across the globe and forced to stay home to avoid outdoor activity. COVID-19 has thus otherwise resulted in cleaner air, less noise pollution, and almost zero traffic jams. The pandemic has resulted in many people to depend on alternative transport instead of depending on fossil fuels.

The extensive use of sustainable and eco-friendly transport in times of such a crisis is now in discussions among policymakers. Bicycling is one such eco-friendly transport that results in zero-emission and contributes to a carbon-free environment. The use of bicycles in an urban eco-system has gained prominence and thus the need to create a bicycle-friendly non-motorized transport policy is emphasized to promote healthy and eco-friendly transport.

Organizations should also insist on the extensive use of bicycles aimed for a short commute to the respective office locations. Employees in offices may be encouraged to commute to offices by incentivizing them through employee-friendly policies. The organizations may utilize this as an opportunity to promote a sustainable workplace and thus encourage employees to use the eco-friendly modes of transport to commute offices.

A reward-based program may be initiated to boost the morale of employees who commute to the office through bicycles. Hence through such an effort, many organizations will help themselves inch closed to achieve workplace sustainability by encouraging their employees to use bicycles extensively.

Communities and societies should also be involved to promote the use of bicycles at lease for short commutes. Engagement programs to promote the use of bicycles, the role of bicycles in contributing to a carbon-free environment, the need for effective bicycle-friendly policies essential at the community level, and the need to emphasize the importance of cycling through leading to better health should be addressed extensively. Programs that promote bicycling across all the ages especially children may be taken up at the community level.

During COVID 19 crisis, bicycles can be used extensively for short commute whilst adhering to social distancing norms. Bicycling as a mode of transport during such a pandemic crisis may help to reduce the burden of traffic enforcement agencies as the use of bicycles cause no harm. Bicycles as a mode of transport also promote the well-being of an individual as physical activity on a bicycle also contributes to improving one's health.

The move to use bicycles extensively may further be utilized in sectors like tourism and heritage. Many tourism sites promote the bicycle as a means of guided tours for local attractions. The policymakers may further utilize this as an opportunity to promote the bicycle as a mode of local transport across the popular heritage and tourism spots. The need to use bicycles for short commutes especially in and around tourism spots contributes to a carbon-free environment and promotes sustainable tourism.

The policymakers may also incentivize the tourists to use bicycles through green point earnings and thus promote the use of bicycles for short commutes around tourist places extensively.

The need for eco-friendly bicycle lanes across popular crowded cities to reclaim space on the roads is the need of the hour. The policymakers need to turn their attention now towards an effective people-friendly policy that helps pedestrians and cyclists use the roads in a hassle-free manner.

Dedicated cycle lanes, promoting bicycle-friendly zones, community participation through various engagement programs, open streets to promote non-motorized transport are some of the key measures that policymakers may formulate. Further, an infrastructure that supports cycling activity with dedicated cycle lanes and parking arrangements will help the cyclists to ride and reclaim the space on the road.

Further with consistent citizen engagement programs and active community participation, there is a need to create awareness by the policymakers through effective collaboration to promote the use of bicycles extensively in an urban eco-system.