Adversary Bicycle Policies and Their Impact on Urban Transporation in China
Source: Transportation Research Board
"Urban travel in China is growing at an exponential rate because of the rapid economic development, urban structure reform, and life style changes. Private automobiles, an unthinkable luxury just two decades ago for most Chinese citizens, are now invading every street of Chinese cities. Bicycle traffic, a prominent transportation mode for the past few decades, is now forced to make way for private automobiles and others. There are some very negative views of bicycle traffic, upon which adversary policies have been developed in recent years. Contrasting to the traditional views of bicycle as a "green" transportation mode and should be kept or developed in appropriate numbers according to urban and transport conditions, more and more planners and decision makers in China are treating bicycles as a low efficiency mode and suggest that it should be controlled or strictly limited in accordance with their influence on traffic. This paper provides an analysis of the origins of the negative opinions and related policies after presenting a brief review of bicycle development in China. Compelled by the mission of developing an efficient urban transport system, the authors worked rigorously with transportation professionals and decision makers to derive a clear understanding of bicycle traffic and effective policies."
