How Hong Kong can chart a cycle-friendly course

During the opening ceremony of Ride to Shine Hong Kong this month, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui challenged Hongkongers to cycle more than 1.2 million km – a distance equivalent to circling the Earth 30 times – to commemorate Hong Kong’s 30th anniversary of returning to China next year. Cycling is more than a trend and worth developing. Since the invention of the bicycle, it has been the most energy-efficient form of human-powered transport – including running or walking. Research suggests it takes less energy to cycle than to walk the same distance. Cycling advocates would cite at least three benefits of using bicycles as a mode of transport. Particularly in urban areas, if more people commuted by bicycle, we could significantly reduce road congestion, curb fuel consumption and improve our overall health. Cycling would also help countries take a giant leap towards the UN’s sustainability goal of reducing carbon emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. There is no shortage of closed-road cycling events in Hong Kong – including the annual Cyclothon and Cycle for Millions, both of which I have participated in multiple times, pedalling alongside thousands of cycling enthusiasts. I was often surprised by the huge turnouts as I had not seen many cyclists on the road on a day-to-day basis. Hong Kong also has various parks and boardwalks with bike trails and shared lanes, including the Go Park, the East Coast Boardwalk and the Central Harbourfront. We may gradually see more lane-sharing pathways and trails in the city, but cycling appears to be limited to being a leisure activity. Unfortunately, we are not quite a cycle-friendly city yet. There are some districts with more integrated cycling lanes and networks, including Sha Tin, Tai Po, Tuen Mun and the developing Kai Tak GreenWay. However, cross-district commuting over longer distances is the key. For crosstown travel, cycling would truly be of benefit when one needs to reach a destination to which it is too far to walk. Naysayers might claim it is impossible for a hustling and bustling city like Hong Kong to be cycle-friendly. However, how did the likes of London, Paris, Barcelona, Brussels and Copenhagen make the conversion? How does any city squeeze out bike lanes on each side of the road? To address road congestion and battle air pollution, cities have started limiting vehicle access to designated areas in the urban cores and creating “pedestrian only” zones. When cars are banned from the roads, suddenly there is space for greenery, pavement businesses and cycling. While some European cities’ pace might not match the likes of Hong Kong, what about New York – the uncontested capital of the financial world? For years, bike messengers have navigated their bicycles through Manhattan’s streets. The number of delivery workers has only increased with the popularisation of app delivery services. Launched about 20 years ago, NYC Bike Maps collects street data online and from governmental departments to develop an interactive map through which cyclists can find the best routes to their destinations. A closer look at the map reveals that not every street in Manhattan is recommended for cycling, but there are suggested nearby routes to avoid fast vehicular traffic. Hong Kong can take a page out of New York’s playbook. Understandably, it might be difficult to imagine our city planners gutting the urban core to create new bike lanes overnight or to expect the construction of designated cycling highways similar to Denmark’s Cycle Superhighway or Norway’s Sykkelstamveien. What could be considered is to progressively create cycle-friendly paths as a means of access for bicycles to coexist with motorists and to offer bicycle parking and shower facilities at the destination buildings. That would be a win for cycling commuters as well as earn valuable points in acquiring environmental certifications. In addition, it is not impossible to modify the existing roadways. According to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, narrowing street width would slow down motorists and make those roads safer than wider ones. The study noted that “reducing lane width would also create more space for other safety and livability features, such as bicycle lanes and wider sidewalks.” Cycling is not unique to Western culture. China used to be known as a “kingdom of bicycles” as masses of cyclists rode to school and work during the 1970s and 1980s, only for the bicycles to be replaced by cars and motorcycles as a result of urbanisation and economic growth. However, cycling is making a comeback on the mainland, according to the Chinese chapter of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Yichang are putting tremendous effort and investment into creating designated and protected cycling infrastructure. Not to be outdone, our neighbouring city of Shenzhen is destined to be a world-class cycling city. Building on top of its 3,600km of cycling-friendly greenways, Shenzhen is aiming to add a 700km cycling network by the end of 2027 and 1,000km by 2035. In sync with the national cycling movement, can we catch up in infrastructure improvement and street conversion such that we consider cycling beyond sports competitions and recreation activities as a true means of day-to-day commuting? Could there be a day when we can commute locally on two wheels or even cycle to Shenzhen?

How Hong Kong can chart a cycle-friendly course

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Embracing cycling as a means of transport would not just improve Hongkongers’ health but also reduce road congestion and contribute to sustainability goals

Embracing cycling as a means of transport would not just improve Hongkongers’ health but also reduce road congestion and contribute to sustainability goals