New lease of life for Bangkok's forgotten bicycle routes

[webfact]

New lease of life for city's forgotten bicycle routes
Tanatpong Kongsai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE BANGKOK Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is planning to fully revive 10 bicycle routes as part of a scheme to reinvigorate the capital's 35 bikeways.

Information on the revival plan, and on the support needed from various parties, will be presented at a day magazine's "a day BIKE FEST 2013" at the Airport Rail Link's Makkasan Station. The event runs until Sunday.

"Whether these bicycle lanes will be a success depends on cooperation from people, local communities and police," Threedow Aphaiwongs said in her capacity as chair of the We Love Bangkok: We Love Bicycles Committee.

As many as 35 bicycle routes have been created in Bangkok to date. However, contrary to their founding objectives, they are little used by bicyclists these days.

"Some cars park on bicycle lanes," Apichart Tiankaew pointed out.

This 31-year-old engineer has been cycling along the bicycle route in Bangkok's Bang Khunthien district for years now.

He said the 10 routes, including one in Bang Khunthien, due for full revival, are among the existing 35 bicycle-lane routes.

"We hope to start improving these 10 routes early next year. After the work is completed, Bangkok residents should be able to enjoy better bicycle lanes," she said.

If all 35 bicycle-lane routes are fully restored, Bangkok's bicycle lanes will stretch for well over 200 kilometres.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has a policy to provide bicycling as an alternative means of transport for city people.

"Bicycling can reduce pollution and travel expenses," Threedow said.

In Bogota, Colombia, mayor Enrique Penalosa has successfully created a bicycle boom in the capital. During his term as its mayor between 1998 and 2001, he prescribed strict legal enforcement to allow people to ride easily along the routes and ensured that the bicycle routes reached all impoverished communities. Bogota's bicycle network now stretches over 300 kilometres. It is also well linked to transportation systems.

Thanks to Penalosa's revolutionary moves, traffic jams in Bogota have eased by 40 per cent. The air quality and quality of life have improved, and Penalosa's successors are all in support of the bicycle-support policies.

-- The Nation 2013-11-07

[tonytigerbkk]

Cycling in Bangkok, also known as Thai Roulette.

[abhaya]

In principal a great idea but I doubt if if Bangkok motorcyclists will respect these anymore than they do the pavement. I pedaled over to Thornburi once (some really beautiful areas out there) and my girlfriend fell into a khlong. LMAO probably not so funny if it was me, though.

[Estrada]

They have just put bicycle way signs all along the pavements either side of Srinakarin road. The only problem is that the bicycle ways run straight through trees, bridges, telephone boxes, concrete electricity poles, and drains with broken covers. Additionally motorcycles taxis are running on the pedestrian area reserved for pedestrians. Pedestrians are considered the lowest of low and their lives are not worth protecting. For this reason you will see bicycle ways even though there are no pavements for pedestrians. If there is a pavement, then food and clothing stall stake priority and pedestrians should walk in the road. This state of affairs exists all over Bangkok with little or no enforcement. The project is doomed to failure as far as the public are concerned, but it is a "nice little earner" for the "usual suspects."

[Card]

"Whether these bicycle lanes will be a success depends on cooperation from people, local communities and police,"

[tingtongteesood]

Those motorcycle taxi dickheads are a terrible hassle on the supposed cycleways near town in town....

[RuskiCat]

They should make the lanes as they did in NYC with a cement barrier. Cars can't invade it, and protects the riders. Now how to keep shopping booths from privatizing it is a tough one. I was biking along the canals and in places people privatized the canal paths. They were actually angry that i was on my bike there. One told me in proken English that i cannot go there. At which point i asked him to produce the land title for the pedestrian walk way he privatized. (In Thai)

[honzad]

Bangkok could be perfect for cycling as it is so flat. It takes the political will to enforce separation between traffic and bikes though, and unfortunately here the car is king. I cycle here regularly though - fantastic way to cut through the jams.

[Lakegeneve]

Great news as something is better than nothing.

Hopefully, the first bunch of bike lanes will be a little more practical than the one marked on the southbound side footpath of Sukhumvit rd 4 years ago. It went from Suk soi 3 down past soi 55 all along the footpath/sidewalk. Obviously, that was very useful.......

[lomatopo]

Keywords in article: plan, revive, scheme, reinvigorate, if.

[Bpuumike]

Bangkok could be perfect for cycling as it is so flat. It takes the political will to enforce separation between traffic and bikes though, and unfortunately here the car is king. I cycle here regularly though - fantastic way to cut through the jams.

Arrive alive!

[IsaanUSA]

Great idea. Hopefully some action will be done.

[CosmicSurfer]

Bangkok is the ONLY city in the World where Bike Lanes run down Sidewalks, through Street Shopping Stalls and Bus Stop Ques!!!!

Bangkok Bike Lanes are a Global Joke!!!

CS