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| Sunday, 12 March 2006 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Boosting one's health... Cycling revived by Vimukthi Fernando
Besides, the mode of transport does not give you any time advantage. In fact, shifting from office van to the car, took an extra half hour from my time," she laments. "Traffic is a curse. It eats up my time close to three hours every day!" Main routes leading to cities such as Colombo are packed with motorized vehicles. Bumper-to-bumper traffic is seen leading to and from Colombo during the hours 6.00 to 9.00 in the morning and 4.00 to 7.00 in the evening. The culprit is the growing 'pervasive' desire for personal vehicles in the developing countries, say two researchers from the University of California, Daniel Sperling and Deborah Salon, in a study of Transportation in Developing Countries, An Overview of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies (2002). "Rapid growth in demand for motorized transport has swamped transport (infrastructure) capacity in the cities of the developing world."
"According to a research study conducted by the AIR MAC unit attached to the Central Environment Authority in 1994, the carbon-dioxide content in the air that we breathe in the Colombo city limits was 33,000 Giga grams" they say, claiming that it is much higher than the recommended proportions. This has resulted in Practical Action's action to re-introduce cycling to the Sri Lankan transport arena. In an effort to revive cycling in Sri Lanka, Practical Action, together with the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) and National Mountain Biking Association (NMBA) organized an annual cycling event "Cyclone," a gathering of bicycle users from different walks of life - school children, sportsmen and women, commuters, traders and so on, in Colombo. In 2004 cyclists, gathered recently to celebrate cycling at 'Cyclone 2006' in Kurunegala. "The bicycle is a wonder vehicle," says E.M. Sumanaweera, 55, from Kurunegala. He says that after introducing a bicycle to his trade he was able to increase his income six fold. The maximum he earned three years ago, from his home gardening plot is about Rs. 1,000, says Sumanaweera. Now, he has a growing business, selling ice-cream on his bicycle. A small cycle trailer carries the ice-boxes. "The trailer is immensely useful. It enables me to store the goods for the day. It also helped me transport building material for the newly built house," says an elated Sumanaweera. The bicycle had helped him so much so that he readily gave up his day's work and earnings, to participate in the cycle rally. "I am happy that someone makes an effort to revive the use of bicycles. We fear for our children's lives when we send them to school, due to frequent motor-traffic accidents. If cycle use is increased there will be less accidents, and accidents would be less intense and non-fatal," he argues the case in Sinhala.
He points out the many benefits of cycling as a sport, a leisure activity, a tourist attraction, a way leading to the improved health of the citizens, and a mode of transport that would save the country billions of rupees spent on fuel, motor vehicle spare parts and so on. The NMBA has joined hands with other associations, lobbying as a collective body to get the rights and privileges belonging to the cyclists, giving voice to the voiceless of the country, says Suriyage. Though many developed countries have recognized the benefits of cycling and the rights of cyclists, in Sri Lanka it is yet to materialise due to the misconception or the 'attitude' towards the bicycle, that it is the poor man's vehicle, he says. The NMBA organized 10 cycling events, for cycling enthusiasts of all ages, in Kurunegala. The participation was encouraging and "over 80 percent were school children," says Suriyage. Improved facilities for cyclists can bring much to the country in return, says Major Nalin Peries, former Secretary of the Army Cycling Committee and Chief Commaisair (judge) of the Kurunegala cycle rally and races. "Cycling needs to be introduced at the kindergarten level, as in other countries," he says. Dinithi Peries, his four-year-old daughter, was the youngest participant in the open under 13 mixed event. One of the most difficult sports events burning over 4,000 calories per day, it is a moving sport keeping your muscles working, from the moment you get on a bicycle until you get down. Cycling is a healthy and independent game improving physical and mental fitness," says Peries. Turning the main cities into cycle friendly cities, offering equal mobility possibilities to all, more green spaces and less traffic congestion, has become the slogan of cycling enthusiasts. A better and efficient integrated transport alternative with improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities is what they clamour for. Their objectives include appropriate infrastructure, cycle friendly policies and social recognition for cyclists. |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Have you ever had the experience of waiting in the traffic? Counting
mini-seconds, patience thinning, tempers flaring, horns blaring traffic?
Then, you will agree with Charitha Wimalasena, an executive in a private
company who travels from Ratmalana to Colombo with her husband, in their
private vehicle. The irony is "whether you come in a bus, a van or car, you
are pretty much hassled by the time you reach your destination. 
Many cities in developing countries are experiencing stifling traffic
congestion. Mobility and accessibility are declining rapidly in most of the
developing world, despite increasing motorization and road building." In the
case of Sri Lanka, "about 60 percent of the motorized vehicles are used in
the Colombo district. Out of this, 75 percent are imported used vehicles...
" say Mahinda Wimalaweera and Nishan Perera, from Practical Action, a non
governmental organization involved in introducing innovative technologies
for development. Added to the problem of traffic is the resulting
air-pollution. 
Sri Lankan cities lack facilities for cyclists, which discourages this
environment-friendly mode of transport, says Amal Suriyage, President NMBA.
"The core question, repeatedly quoted, is whether cycle users, the largest
number of commuters using the roads in the country, are fairly and squarely
looked after?" says Suriyage. 
