Non motorised vehicles
In this regard non motorised vehicles can play an important role. Non motorised vehicle (NMVs) which means bicycle, cycle rickshaws and carts, continue to play a vital roll in urban transportation systems in most places of our country.
However, the future of NMVs in this country is threatened by growing motorisation, loss of street space for the NMVs use and changes in urban schemes prompted by motorisation . The government's transport planning and investment have focused mainly on the motorisation of the transport sector and have often ignored the need for non motorised transport. As a result, NMVs use may decline considerably in the coming decade, with a highly negative impact on air , movement of traffic, energy use,urban sprawl and the employment and mobility of low income people .
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Transport investment and policies are the primary factors that influence NMVs use and level of motorisation. For example, Japan has witnessed major growth of bicycle use, despite increased motorisation, through programmes providing extensive bicycle paths, free bicycle parking at rail stations and high fees for motor vehicle use.
China has for several decades offered commuter subsidies for those people bicycling to work, cultivated a domestic bicycle industry and allocated extensive urban space to NMVs use. Bicycle has largely replaced buses as the principal means of urban vehicle transport in China. Buses are generally slower for the same trip made by bicycle.
Recently, the government has taken several plans for transport and road management as is evident from construction of road dividers, auto signals, and flyovers etc with a high budget. But they didn't think about the magical effect of cycle use as a private vehicle. The government should encourage it through the media, cycle rallies, cycle donation campaigns and massive publicity in every possible way.
Following the model of China our government can initiate a programme for promoting the use of bycycles. This will help solve many of the problems that we are facing in the cities.