A not-so-aggressive and effective advertising strategy around the Park and Ride’s cycling hub has been blamed for lack of awareness from COP 17 delegates and members of the public. This is the view from the cycling Station Manager at the Central Transport Hub, Robert Varty. The cycling section, positioned adjacent to the bus and taxi shuttles, is all quiet and serene as people walk past and opt for the shuttles for their respective destinations. But Varty hopes that as days go by, more people will be exposed to the cycles and take advantage of them. He says for both private hire use as well as use by COP 17 delegates, a refundable R500 credit card deposit is needed, perhaps another down-turn for people to use the facility. Although delegates get a full refund upon return of the bicycles, private users are charged R50 an hour or a flat-rate of R200 from four-hours and above. Varty explains that during efforts to promote the cycling park and ride facilities, more focus was placed on targeting delegates. The Braam Fischer bicycle parking lot features silver and yellow bicycles. The silver ones are meant for use by delegates and are imported from France whereas the yellow ones are manufactured locally and are for private users only. Each bike has a number, a United Nations Industrial Development Organisation sticker as well as a barcode. The bike number as well as the barcode are attached to the credit card transaction once a bike is hired.
The eThekwini municipality will be handing over all yellow bicycles to schools around Durban
Three similar stations are situated around the Inkosi Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) vicinity, all four catering the routes to and from the ICC and operate between 6am-6pm on a daily basis. Varty says people cycle as far as the Durban North Beach, Moses Mabida, Blue Lagoon, the Beach Front, Wilson’s Wolf as well as the Botanical Gardens. Some delegates like Indonesia’s Wibodo Nur Susentio says he is using the shuttles and not the bicycle rides because he stays far. Others cite fatigue as reason for not opting for the bicycles whereas some, like the US delegates who just arrived today, say they would take up the bicycle idea later in the week. Because the cycling facilities are used lesser than the other preferred two modes of transport, Varty reckons it would be great if bicycles are used more in future post-COP 17. But he points out that although there are designated routes for the cycles, with clear road marks and with a high police visibility meaning ensured safety for users on the roads, post-COP 17 people will be reluctant to use bicycles as they will fear for their safety. He is of the opinion that motorists are ignorant and inconsiderate, rendering the roads not bicycle user-friendly. He thinks an educational awareness campaign could work wonders to promote road safety for cyclists. Varty says by riding bicycles, a lot of money could be saved and the city could gear towards less emissions. But an interesting aspect of the whole initiative is that the eThekwini municipality will be handing over all yellow bicycles to schools around Durban, to be used by learners who currently walk long distances to school.
– By Tshepo Tsheole, Durban
