Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
THE City of Bulawayo wants residents to embrace cycling as a lifestyle to promote healthy living while also helping decongesting the city and reducing carbon emissions in line with the smart city concept.
The local authority views cycling as an economic enabler that is largely tied to tourism.
According to council, cycling is in line with its vision of becoming a transformative and smart city by 2024 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
Yesterday, the city council management held a consultative meeting with residents to unpack what the local authority aims to achieve by promoting cycling in the city.
The poorly attended meeting at the Large City Hall was supposed to incorporate views from players in the transport sector.
In the past, most residents used bicycles to and from work as a mode of transport, but that culture has faded as more people started buying cars. Even cycle tracks were left unattended following the dearth of cycling.
While in the past men were the ones who cycled to work, under the new thrust, council is also encouraging women to embrace the cycling culture to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Speaking during the consultation meeting, acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said council wants to revive the cycling culture in line with global trends.
While in Zimbabwe cycling is associated with poverty, developed countries such as Spain actually encourage their citizens to either cycle or walk to work.
“As a city we know we have a tradition of cycling. In the olden days we used to see 6th Avenue Extension into Luveve Road and Khami Road, teeming with people cycling to work. We know that people are used to cycling, but that culture of cycling had sort of died,” said Mrs Zhou.
She said council wants to promote and revive the habit of cycling among residents.
“Our cars can pollute the environment as the number of cars increase through carbon emissions. For our health benefit, I think the medical profession can agree with us that if done properly it can be of immense health benefit,” said Mrs Zhou.
She said council is working towards rehabilitating cycling tracks.
“So as a city we will try and revamp cycling tracks. We want all stakeholders to come on board so that as we promote this way of life,” she said.
The council intends to officially launch the cycling culture next Wednesday.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) business development officer Mr Kholisani Moyo said cycling is linked to the world economy.
“In our thinking we wanted to link cycling to tourism. For instance, if a visitor wants to visit a heritage site they can cycle. We also have a wishing well outside City Hall, which is also a monument,” he said.
“We want visitors to visit that well. There is Inxwala site, The Hanging tree, National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe, Exchange Building, the Post Office is also a heritage building as well as Joshua Nkomo Statue.”
Mr Moyo said cycling is a low-cost transport mode for citizens. He said a bicycle industry can also be created in the city taking advantage of new revenue streams.
“What they are doing now is just assembling so we want to develop an industry and once you have developed an industry you are generating employment and fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal number eight which speaks to economic growth and development,” he said. — @nqotshili
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