[RahulNagaraj]

According to a news report, the French government is planning to spend 2 billion euros to improve the country's cycling infrastructure. The government wants more people to buy bicycles and reduce the use of cars.

As per reports, the French government will spend 250 million euros per year between 2023 and 2027 to double the cycle lane network. Currently, the country's bike lane network is 50,000 km, which will be increased to 80,000 km in 2027 and 1 lakh km by 2030. Priority will also be given to provincial cities and rural areas instead of big cities.



The rest of the budget will go towards other measures aimed to boost the use of bicycles by people. It includes 500 million euros allocated to subsidies for buying either new or second-hand bicycles. The money will also be used towards improved bike parking facilities, anti-theft bike marking and providing primary school children with bike training.

Clement Beaune, Transport Minister, called the move "unprecedented and massive" on a social media update. Beaune also stated that the government wants to make bicycles an attractive alternative to cars while also offering a means of transport accessible to everyone, irrespective of age.

Source: Autoblog

Link to Team-BHP news

[dust-n-bones]

Here in India, I see only Delhi is doing something about cycling tracks - that too half heartedly, to impress the 'firangis' for G20.
There is no intent of connecting cyclists from their homes directly to places of work or shopping, of treating this as essential infrastructure. The tracks look like street furniture, connecting nothing in particular. But a start, nonetheless.

I hear Chandigarh is leading the way, but don't have any details.

Incidentally, here in Bengaluru, practically nothing exists. As a silver lining, I noticed the DPR (detailed project report) for the perennially delayed PRR (peripheral ring road) does include cycling tracks for all of its 80 odd kms. Not a single km laid out so far of course.
Here's an extract: https://kspcb.karnataka.gov.in/sites...mary%20Eng.pdf.

Meanwhile, knocking off cyclists in Bengaluru is a depressingly routine affair: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le66770076.ece

Don't know who to blame, the cyclist, the motorist or the lack of safe infra.

[Ironhide]

This is good news and definitely a step in the right direction. Investing in improving public bicycling infrastructure can bring a host of benefits. Some which readily come to mind are

• Reduced traffic: When more people ride bicycles instead of driving cars, there will be fewer cars on the roads. This helps reduce traffic jams and makes it easier for everyone to get around.
  
  
• A healthier environment : Riding bicycles doesn't create pollution like cars do. Cars release harmful gases into the air, which can harm the environment and contribute to climate change. By promoting cycling, we can reduce pollution and make the air cleaner for everyone to breathe.
  
  
• Better public health: When people choose to ride bikes instead of sitting in cars, they become more active and improve their fitness helping prevent diseases like heart problems, obesity, and diabetes.
  
  
• Reduced noise and pollution: Cars can be noisy and make our cities loud. By encouraging cycling, one might see a decline in the number of cars on the road, leading to less noise and a more peaceful environment. Additionally, fewer cars mean less exhaust fumes and air pollution, which is definitely good for our health and the environment.
  
  
• Improved microclimate: More cycling means fewer cars, which reduces the need for wide roads and parking spaces. This opens up space for trees and green areas. Trees provide shade, absorb heat, and cool the surroundings, making cities more comfortable during hot weather.

What governments at local and national level need to look at and plan is to make bicycling infrastructure even more effective. This can be done by clearly catering for building bike lanes during the town planning stage itself, encouraging bike-sharing programs by setting up systems where people can easily rent bicycles for short periods making it accessible for everyone to use bicycles without needing to own one, create secure bike parking areas at metro stations, shopping centers, and other popular locations, educating and raising awareness about the benefits of cycling and how to use cycling infrastructure properly, possibly through campaigns, workshops, and educational programs. What also needs to be done is to ensure safety measures such as traffic lights, signs, and mirrors specifically designed for cyclists and encourage drivers to be aware of cyclists and share the road with them.

Now the question arises whether encouraging bicycling as a means of commute in India can be both safe and practical? IMO, with a bit of planning and sustained push it can be, provided that certain measures are taken to address the unique challenges posed by our climatic conditions and road infrastructure.

India's climatic conditions vary greatly from region to region, with some areas experiencing extreme heat and humidity during certain months of the year. In order to make bicycling more comfortable, during the town planning stage itself it may be ensured that shaded bike lanes and designated bike routes are planned in such a way that they avoid areas with high pollution or congestion. Some firms and corporations do provide shower facilities for employees who bike to work, and maybe others ought to follow suit, starting from government offices.

The condition of public roads in India can be challenging, with potholes, uneven surfaces, and heavy traffic (looking at you here Bengaluru). To ensure safety, cities may need to invest in dedicated bike lanes that are physically separated from vehicular traffic, are kept free from encroachment and use traffic calming measures such as speed bumps to slow down cars in areas where cyclists are present. It is also important to educate drivers on how to safely share the road with bicyclists.

With the right infrastructure and policies in place, bicycling in due course may be a safe and practical means of commute in India. The challenge is to implement it smartly. The bicycle lanes in cities like Delhi and Chandigarh are a positive step in the right direction. Maybe other cities ought to take a cue from it and plan for the same. The increased demand for bicycles as a result of promoting bicycling as a means of transportation can drive the growth of the domestic bicycle manufacturing sector also, opening up opportunities for local manufacturers to expand their operations, innovate, produce cheaper and better bicycles stimulating the development of a robust supply chain ecosystem, fostering the production of bicycle components, distribution networks, and retail outlets leading to job creation and economic growth. Moreover, the growth of the bicycle manufacturing industry in India can drive technological advancements, innovation, and improved product quality, enhancing the competitiveness of Indian bicycles in the global market. This, in turn, can open doors for export opportunities and further contribute to the growth of the sector.

Cheers !

[Turbohead]

Great for France but i don't think We should try to emulate them in India. The major cities in India are all hot and humid and it is simply not practical to make cycling as a means of commute since you can't avoid sweating bullets.

We actually need an efficient and well connected public transport with last mile connectivity if we're serious about the environment.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Great for France but i don't think We should try to emulate them in India. The major cities in India are all hot and humid and it is simply not practical to make cycling as a means of commute since you can't avoid sweating bullets.

Forgive my push back on this please. You may not remember but in the 1920s to the 1960s and in smaller towns into the 1970s and 1980s any number of even upper middle class commuted on bicycles. Every city is not a crowded terror like our big 6 or 7 metros. As a child I have cycled to school - sun or rain - round trip of 5 kms; till the 1960s both my grandfathers who were well off by standards of the day and lived in Tier II towns would always travel short distances by simply cycling down*. In my home town of Lucknow I would run errands on cycles that invloved round trips of over 15 kms daily. So, I disagree that cycling is not an option for India. Our population increase in the cities and boom in motorized transport has pushed the bicycle off our roads and made us think that cycling to work is infra dig.

*In fact I recall clearly that the only folks who refused to cycle were middle & senior Govt Officers or Police/Military officers even though we were all from the same socio-economic strata! They were too conscious of their position. :-)

We actually need an efficient and well connected public transport with last mile connectivity if we're serious about the environment.

This I whole heartedly agree. But we need both cycle infra and public transport. The mode of transport I would not go long on is the personal motor car. By 2060 I believe the personal motor car will be diminished in numbers compared to today. We just have to see what is happening in Western Europe - Netherlands is a perfect example.

[norhog]

The main hindrance to this is the following.

1. Hawkers, plenty of them. In most major cities, it is difficult to find any good bit of footpath that do not have hawkers. So walking is a challenge, cycling impossible.

2. Cars parked by side of the road. This is one hindrance as it takes away valuable road space that can be used for cycling. Now, knowing our governments, they will simply ban parking of cars by the side, but where do the cars park.? The answer lies in making more parking infrastructure, underground, or over ground what ever.

3. In this forum, when we discuss cycling infrastructure being put up in France, we like to imagine similar infrastructure in India where the cyclist will be well dresses people driving fancy 1 lak upwards costing bike.
BUT the reality will be there will be our common janata on their black color ATLAS cycles, shabby looking, brakes operated by linkages from the backwards curved handle bars, carrying some sacks or tins of milk.
Also then there will be tri cycles and hand carts starting to use this cycle lane. Then the sight will not be so pretty.

4. Bad lane discipline. Barring South of Mumbai, all Indian cities have a terrible hex, in the form of AUTORICKSHAW and now more importantly the three wheeled electric powered RICKSHAWS. The former, petrol or gas powered three wheeled monsters, even though the driver is having the license, and supposed to know road rules and signages, we all know their driving style, lane markings etc are of no meaning to them. The less said about the electric powered rickshaws the better, these ones have no license requirement for operation so you can imagine.

4. And lastly, the heat. Most Indian cities are hot for a very large part of the year. Heat, dust and sweat to get to where ever. again not so nice.

So, in conclusion, if we want a proper cycling infrastructure in INDIA, we have to completely separate the cycle tracks from the powered vehicles.
Also as we are still a developing nation, we do have to make considerations for cycle rickshaws, battery powered rickshaws who will be using this track.

[travelling owl]

Used to love cycling to office everyday in Germany, in total used to bike around 20kms. Kept me in shape and also didnt hurt my pocket I got so stingy that used to bike to office even during harsh winters
Used to go often on long drives on weekends, loved the cycle tracks next to highways. Pleasant weather and pollution free air made it further nicer!

Originally Posted by dust-n-bones

Incidentally, here in Bengaluru, practically nothing exists.

Well the CBD (Richmond road, etc) area has cycle tracks, its not everywhere. What i like abt Bangalore is that for weekend drives, we have some amazing routes and trails. My favourite one is Hesaraghatta lake, where you can see hundreds to thousands of cyclists on a typical weekend !!

[ysjoy]

There can be no comparison on the infrastructure and efforts by advocacy groups and governments in EU/ NA vs India, for cycling/ cyclists

For the government agencies to sit up, take notice and do something for the cycling/ cyclists, there has to be a 'movement' and a critical mass for the users has to be achieved
This could happen when there are groups for advocacy, and enough cyclists' groups or cyclists around, and there are concerted efforts between them, for same

There are many cyclists' groups in many of the Indian cities and towns many of whom promote cycling for various reasons, but this probably has to go up several levels, for things to happen

There was a major initiative in Bangalore many years back for dedicated lanes for cyclists and markings for same were made on many roads in Jayanagar and JP Nagar area
But these lanes fell into dis-use and became redundant, again due to various reasons

Till then, there will be few groups and people who use bicycles for different reasons, in cities and towns, who will have to jostle for space with other road users, on the crowded roads, at their own peril

Cheers!
~ysjoy

[ads11]

Implementing a holistic cycling scheme in India won't be without it's challenges, but as V.Narayan correctly points out, the argument that South Asia and South East Asia isn't suited to cycling is patently untrue given how only a few decades ago, it was a predominant mode of transport.

I would also like to point out that in the west not everyone is using massively expensive cycles and wearing bespoke cycling gear (those are just the most distinguishable ones). The vast majority of folks have solid but unspectacular hybrids/commuter/road bikes that they use to get around. People save their very nice bicycles a lot like a nice coupe, for the special rides.

I will say this from personal experience, Manchester really used the UK COVID lockdown periods to totally revamp the city centre to include Dutch style cycling infrastructure that really makes the prospect of cycling far more palatable for those who are on the fence. I'd had a scarring experience when younger cycling in central London and it put me off but having dedicated cycling lanes with physical barriers to prevent cars from encroaching (I mean you still get idiots who ramp over the raised curbs but that'll happen everywhere). I think I posted this earlier on another cycling thread but there would be these counters by cycling lanes that would display the stats for the number of riders using bike lanes and sure enough ridership has gone up considerably post lockdown. The health benefits are abundant, and the city centre is much nicer for lack of traffic bar public transport.

Which brings me back to the holistic point. If you're going to take this approach and make car free zones, it HAS to be in conjunction with a well thought out public transport network where citizens won't feel like they're having to compromise on their plans by using the transport networks.

I think the final hurdle we face in India is perception. Again to borrow the anecdote from V.Narayan, somewhere along the road, cycling went from an acceptable mode of transport for even the middle classes to now being looked down upon as only befitting the poorest in society. I feel like that's probably the biggest invisible mountain to climb for Indian society. To give an eg, my wife comes from a university town where pretty much everyone cycles. The looks of horror on the faces of my extended family when she innocently suggested cycling to a friends house in Calcutta was symptomatic of this mental hurdle we need to overcome. I'm guilty of it too, I'm not sure if I would put my money where my mouth is and actually cycle in India to get about.

But I'm hopeful, maybe returning expats and the upwardly mobile make cycling in India en vogue again and then you might have some traction towards reintroducing it as a wider more acceptable form of transport, particularly in terms of the benefits it would afford not just for the environment but towards the overall health of the populace (the increase in obesity rates in India have an alarming trajectory - certainly not a realm where we want to be on par with the West).

[dust-n-bones]

Many of us think that our 'rich look down upon the poor' culture is a hindrance to wider adoption of cycling. Maybe. Though, culture will not change on its own.
Cycling simply has to start making better practical sense to even the non-cyclist. Let culture take care of itself.

Originally Posted by travelling owl

What i like abt Bangalore is that for weekend drives, we have some amazing routes and trails. My favourite one is Hesaraghatta lake, where you can see hundreds to thousands of cyclists on a typical weekend !!

I agree. Many of our densely packed cities still have these excursion options - if you are brave enough to get to them on a bike. These being the only options, however, keep cycling limited to enthusiasts.

What we need is for urban planners to think creatively. Consider:

1. Our municipalities already are spending billions of dollars on creating metro lines. These lines are segregated from our bad roads, pollution and bad traffic. These are often elevated or underground. The same pillars that support these lines could as well support a 6 ft to-n-fro cycling track, shielded from the metros. Now you suddenly open up our densest urban routes to cycling. In fact, it would be way quicker to cycle downtown this way than use your 4 wheeler. If you get tired, hop on to the metro. Last mile can be dedicated cycling lanes. Some shielding though from regular traffic is necessary.
2. Similarly, we are spending big money on greenfield highways to decongest existing highways. Dwarka expressway to bye-pass NH48 that cuts through Gurgaon is a great example. The plan however is that both stretches will carry heavy vehicles and cars. If you think differently, the NH48 alignment can now very well be reduced from its 8 lane monstrosity to 4 lanes and re-introduce signals. Force motorized transport to use the longer route. The reclaimed 4 lanes can be signal free and used for, you guessed it right, metro, cycling, greenery, hawkers, cafes. Make the central artery of Gurgaon a Champs-Élysées.
3. Many have cited India's hot/humid climate as a deterrent. Cycling needs relatively narrow paths - 6 odd feet for bi-directional traffic. How difficult is it to stand up pillars and cover these with creepers and/or solar panels?

India's urban infra looks so shabby (from the toniest South Mumbai, South Delhi neighbourhoods to old city centers like Chikpete to every small town I've been to) not because there is no money. It is so because there is lack of imagination.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by dust-n-bones

What we need is for urban planners to think creatively. Consider:

1. Our municipalities already are spending billions of dollars on creating metro lines. These lines are segregated from our bad roads, pollution and bad traffic. These are often elevated or underground. The same pillars that support these lines could as well support a 6 ft to-n-fro cycling track, shielded from the metros. Now you suddenly open up our densest urban routes to cycling. In fact, it would be way quicker to cycle downtown this way than use your 4 wheeler. If you get tired, hop on to the metro. Last mile can be dedicated cycling lanes. Some shielding though from regular traffic is necessary.
2. Similarly, we are spending big money on greenfield highways to decongest existing highways. Dwarka expressway to bye-pass NH48 that cuts through Gurgaon is a great example. The plan however is that both stretches will carry heavy vehicles and cars. If you think differently, the NH48 alignment can now very well be reduced from its 8 lane monstrosity to 4 lanes and re-introduce signals. Force motorized transport to use the longer route. The reclaimed 4 lanes can be signal free and used for, you guessed it right, metro, cycling, greenery, hawkers, cafes. Make the central artery of Gurgaon a Champs-Élysées.
3. Many have cited India's hot/humid climate as a deterrent. Cycling needs relatively narrow paths - 6 odd feet for bi-directional traffic. How difficult is it to stand up pillars and cover these with creepers and/or solar panels?

I think these are excellent suggestions - I especially like the first one! It allows for the necessary separation on safety grounds whilst being able to be a relatively painless add on to the direction most town planning is already going with the elevated metro networks.

I fully agree on the need for creative thinking. I wonder when engaged in town planning activities and designing transport networks, how much the people in charge look for ideas and results from initiatives globally.

I don't even think the culture aspect is insurmountable. It'll just take time but none of these changes will happen overnight anyway, has to be a grassroots effort that scales up over time.

I think the biggest carrot you can dangle is just making the prospect of a blended commute using public transport and cycling for last mile connectivity the convenient option. That's where the stick comes in like London has adopted in terms of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and driving restrictions in terms of Congestion Charge and Low Emissions Zones. The worry in India is that the authorities are just happy leaving it at the stick, without having the carrot in tow. And that'll just put people off the whole venture.