(Article by Jyoti Gupta)
Pandemic has pushed the world order back in time. Fitness aficionados kept off gyms grabbed new bicycles or dusted off old ones to stay fit. Office goers fearful of public transit congregated around shops and malls to buy active, green and financially responsible alternative to buses and subways. The shut-in families scrambled to find ways to feed sanity and keep children active during the stay-at-home orders. Strict social distancing norms have altered the way people commuted.
As the lockdown begin to relax across the world, fears surrounding transportation and commuting continue to weigh on the minds of many. Once Ola and uber were popular options for public transit and ridesharing, now carry the risk of potentially exposing riders to the virus. Though private vehicles allow for adequate distancing, there are substantial costs associated with car ownership like parking, insurance, gas/petrol. Hence making it unaffordable to the public at large. Therefore, more and more have turned to bicycles thereby driving the demand manifold. So much so that supply would take some weeks or months to resolve. The situation is paired throughout the globe.
The panic sale kicked off in mid-March around the time countries were shutting their borders, businesses were closing, and stay-at-home orders were being imposed to mitigate the spread of virus. All led to a boom in the $ 48 bn bicycle industry, never witnessed before. The cycles tripled in April alone in the US. Sales in other countries like UK, Germany and Brussels spiked by over 60%, 34% and 15%, respectively.
The governments too responded expeditiously to the impending vogue. The trend also comes as a silver lining for environmentalists, who note transportation sector represents the largest source of planet-warming carbon emissions. The authorities across major metro cities of the world banned cars from some central thoroughfares. They also expanded bike lanes to take advantage of the growing momentum. For instance, Oakland in California closed 10% of its streets for cars. Auckland, New Zealand removed on-streetcar parking and built up 17 km of temporary bike lanes in addition to widening of existing bike and foot paths.
Italy went a step ahead by offering “Bici bonus” – ~60% rebate on the cost to the cyclist. This is in addition to the 22miles of streets converted for cycling lanes. New York and Bogota in Columbia added 40 and 76 miles, respectively of new lanes. Canada passed bills to expand cycling infrastructure. The French government is providing €50 to fix their bikes in an effort to promote cycling over public transportation.
India is not far behind either – Cycles 4 Change Challenge has been initiated by the government and The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) to promote cycling groups, people in the business of manufacturing and selling cycles and repair shops in India. While the measures seem for short term, the pandemic is for a long haul. Will the resurgence in biking during the pandemic paved the way for lasting changes in cities that have long been choked by car traffic?
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the above article belong solely to the author, and we are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation on basis of reading information, or contributions in this article.)