By Aziz Haider,
The world has undergone a seesaw modify considering the fact that the pandemic gave its initially knockings at the starting of 2020. Changes have been for the excellent and for the terrible how we conduct company and meetings, how corporations employ and fire and even what we consume, how we preserve ourselves match and how we commute – there has been distinguishable modify in all elements of life.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the mindsets of men and women to a substantial extent and has reshaped cities across the globe. Returning to the age-old days of bicycles is a typical trend, with the major modify becoming that the new-age bicycles are more comfy, more tech-savvy and more effective as machines. And the city planners in several cities are burning the evening lamp to produce road infrastructure and provide facilities for a burgeoning quantity of bicyclists that can be seen on the road.
Cities of each Europe and the USA have seen a fantastic leap in bicycle usage. The neighborhood governments, by means of relocating their city budgets to produce new infrastructure and facilities for the bicyclists, have ensured that the modify remains to remain for extended.
Informs Lauha Marianne Fried, who performs as the Policy Director at Cycling Industries Europe: “A broader study across Europe released earlier this year and drawing on data from 106 cities with COVID-era cycling infrastructure installations found ridership increases between 11 and 48%, on average.”
Subir Ghosh, MD of United Cycle Company who supplies his bicycle brand Unirox to Europe, USA as properly as inside India, says: “Globally, post pandemic, there has been a huge interest as a mode of transport, as a mode of keeping fit, as an exercising equipment, to travel short distances while maintaining social distancing. This is the main reason why usage of bicycles has increased all over the world. Europe has been one of the largest users of bicycles all the time. It is the USA and India, in the urban areas especially, which have seen the greatest increase post pandemic. People in all these areas are going for their own vehicle, which is environment friendly; the gyms too are closed and cycling is giving them a chance of exercise and at the same time keeping them healthy and following the social distancing norms.”
Satarupa Sen, who is operating a green commute initiative by the name Carryon.Bike from Norway, with an aim to bring the international cycling neighborhood beneath one umbrella, agrees that what Europe has seen for the duration of the pandemic is practically nothing quick of a bicycle revolution. Says Satarupa: “Europe has always been conscious of promoting smart cities and the citizens are largely environment conscious. We all know how countries like the Netherlands have taken to bicycling for many years now. Taking into account the aspects of social distancing, fitness, saving time in high traffic cities- gives more reasons for people to adopt cycling.”
To cite an instance, Helsinki – the capital of Finland – with its population of 630,000 has utilized its city infrastructure budgets to construct 1,300 kilometers of cycle paths and the busiest route in the city at the moment racks up about 10,000 rides per day.
India as well has seen a 300 to 400 instances jump in bicycle sales, courtesy COVID, but this spurt in sales has gone largely unnoticed contemplating the enormity of its population. According to Onkar Singh, Chairman, Cycling Federation of India, the nation witnessed a surge in marketplace considering the fact that the pandemic began. This was partly simply because the gyms and parks had been closed and partly simply because of social distancing specifications. Says Singh: “For many months, India witnessed a surge of about 300 to 400% sale of high end cycles. That changed the whole scene of Indian bicycle industry.”
According to Onkar Singh, there was a time for the duration of pandemic when there was not a single higher-finish bicycle offered in the nation and men and women had to wait for 2 to 3 months for receiving a bike and rather of discounts – which had been typical earlier – cycles had been becoming sold for a premium.
One query that lingers in the thoughts of men and women like Singh is whether or not this trend for switching towards bicycles will sustain in India.
A organization by the name Blue Green Planet LLP has taken the challenge of advertising and sustaining the cycle culture in India by means of a series of events and exhibitions, beginning with the initially exhibition viz. BikeXAsia, becoming held from November 12-14, 2021 at HITEX in Hyderabad. Informs S Ramesh, CEO of Blue Green Planet: “This will be an exhibition of its kind with focus not just on bringing to display the various brands available and help them provide platform for sales through enhanced dealership and retail network but will also attempt, through various conferences and seminars to be held on the sidelines, besides activities like Buyer Seller Meets, Awards, live shows, product launches and road shows, to create the desired sustained environment for enhanced bicycle usage in India. This will be possible through the three fold exercise: the consumers need to be educated about the benefits of bicycling; the manufacturers both in India and abroad need to create products that are enchanting for the Indian consumer; and, the governments need to create the necessary infrastructure for the safety of bicyclists.”
BikeXAsia is co-positioned with two other well-known exhibitions, the SportExpo and the PHIC [Public Health and Infection Control] Expo, therefore guaranteeing a excellent stroll-in crowd to the 3 exhibitions.
The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry [PHDCCI] which is the co-organizer for BikeXAsia has been foreseeing the emerging trend considering the fact that sometime, according to its ADG – Naveen Seth, and had planned a series of cycling workshops, beginning with Jaipur, Bangalore and Chandigarh. Naveen Seth informs that even the Government of India is taking this seriously and there have been series of meetings and discussions at the best level in the Niti Ayog. Apparently, a new policy is on the anvil quickly.
As per data, AICMA [All India Cycle Manufacturers Association] as well is pondering of producing offered technologies for manufacturing/assembling higher finish cycles in India.
Onkar Singh is of the opinion that the cycle sector does not want incentives to boost sales. What is essential is the incentive for secure riding and this will come from the several governments and municipal corporations of cities.
Says Singh: “If you have been to Copenhagen, which is the cycle city of the world, where 62% people use cycles, all road laws and regulations are made keeping bicycle riders in mind. There are different lanes, even a different red and green light for the cyclists.
I have been talking to several Governments across the country to have dedicated cycling lanes. Even if they make it, who is going to regulate it. Once they make such a lane, you will find motorcycles and rickshaws going there. The safety of a bicycle rider is not ensured.”
Singh provides examples of devoted lanes in Dwarka in Delhi. Unregulated as they are, one can see bicycles and rickshaws operating on these roads. “Once the safety of the rider is ensured, we will find an increasing number of bicyclists on the road.”
Health, fitness and saving time in higher targeted traffic cities – these are some of the added benefits according to Satarupa Sen that accrue to a person who switches to bicycling. But what governments in nations like India do not comprehend is that there are huge added benefits, even monetary, for the governments themselves, if more and more men and women switch to bicycling.
As per data revealed by Lauha Marianne Fried of Cycling Industries Europe, the neighborhood government in Helsinki has witnessed a 3.6 euro get for each 1 euro invested in bike lanes in Helsinki – the capital city of Finland.
According to Cycling Industries Europe report: “A study into the economic benefits of installing bike paths on key city arteries in Helsinki has found a €3.6 euro gain for every €1 invested in the capital city.
Some of the greatest returns on investment stem from the health benefits attributed to usage of the infrastructure, on which cycling’s modal share is said to represent 11% of city traffic.
In reaching the calculation the researchers took the base cost of the street redesign and maintenance costs for the study period and ran this against time savings on travel delivered and a set of pre-determined health benefit metrics, among other benefits to the city and its population of 630,000.
In total, the Northern European city has built 1,300 kilometers of cycle paths and the busiest route in the city currently racks up around 10,000 rides per day.
As a result, the study’s authors estimated somewhere between a $1 billion and $7 billion in health benefit to citizens of the featured cities.”
COVID has been a blessing in disguise in ushering this welcome modify. It is now for the several governments and municipalities to act. With the reports coming out that the Government of India is keen on framing new laws and suggestions, India may well as properly silence the critics, some of whom feel India has currently lost the race by not becoming speedy adequate to act. Government may well properly use its Fit India slogan to usher in the bicycle revolution that India desperately demands.
Consequently Subir Ghosh and other people are optimistic of brighter days ahead. Says he: Even if social distancing measures come to an finish, men and women will develop a habit of maintaining secure. They will comprehend that cycling provides them an environmentally friendly mode of transport, it is a non-polluting transport and it is a healthier workout that one undertakes simultaneously with commuting.
S. Ramesh says neighborhood suppliers are pondering of providing superior bicycle options to customers. Problem till now was that there was no substantial marketplace for higher finish bicycles. Parents would acquire motor bikes and vehicles for their children but not bicycles, except for the really early stages when the children had been not grown adequate to drive a motor bike. Things are altering now. People are receiving more overall health and fitness conscious. Options as well are coming in lots each by means of suppliers utilizing ‘Make in India’ theme to generate high-quality variety and by means of import of higher finish bicycles into India. BikeXAsia aims to bridge that gap and give to the Indian customers the multitude of solutions that are offered, each in terms of Bicycles but also E-Bikes and accessories. Micro Mobility and Last Mile Delivery Solutions as well are gaining trend as Green Mobility options.
Satarupa Sen provides the last word when she says: “E-bikes have made it a more acceptable mode of communication for many. Governments in different countries are beginning to appreciate the need to push e-bikes adoption. France plans to offer a 2500 euro grant to buy electric bicycles in exchange for old vehicles. Nordic countries have rolled out such subsidy policies already and others are not behind.
Such initiatives have seen e-bike sales skyrocketing in many regions of Europe. Norway has always taken a lead to incentivize the promotion of zero-emission vehicles. For example, Oslo gave 5,000 Norwegian kroner to 1,000 citizens to buy electric bicycles.
But while more people take to cycling, we must have more bike lanes keeping in mind the security hazards. This is something the Government bodies will need to consider. Better bike route maps with info will help different age groups to plan better for bike trips and destinations so the momentum and inclination towards bikes is not lost.”
(The writer is an independent analyst writing on trade and bilateral relations. Views expressed are private and do not reflect the official position or policy of TheSpuzz Online.)