Penang Watch

Friday July 4, 2008(Star)
Town councils should provide bicycle lanes

I READ with much interest the recent suggestion put forward by a member of the Kuantan local council to have bicycle lanes to encourage people to cycle in times like these, (The Star, July 1).

I want to take this matter further; I suggest that bicycle lanes be made compulsory by all town councils. At the very least, we can encourage students to cycle to schools.

Cars are clogging the roads every morning and afternoon when schools start or dismiss. The reason why parents are forced to send their children to school in their cars is that cycling is not safe even in smaller towns like Batu Pahat in the absence of bicycle lanes.

I believe that if proper bicycle lanes are constructed, which can ensure the safety of cyclists, more students can be encouraged to cycle to and from schools or to tuition and so forth. This will definitely reduce the number of cars at peak hours as well as conserve fuel and ensure a healthy environment.

However, suggestions like these are often met with lots of negativity, as evidenced by that same suggestion at Majlis Perbandaran Kuantan. There was teasing at the suggestion during the meeting.

Our hot climate should not be used as a deterrent to many useful things we can do, like saving fuel, having a good exercise and saving the environment. If we talk of skin cancer due to exposure to sunlight as suggested by a councillor, is he prepared to discuss lung cancer when the towns are polluted with fumes?

Local councillors, especially those in Kuantan, should be objective in their discussions and not be selectively biased. These are the type of local councillors we least need at board meetings – those always finding some negative comments to make but who are not proactive.

TENG,

Batu Pahat.

Friday July 4, 2008(Star)
Incorporate bicycle lanes
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG

THE government shold include bicycle lanes on all new roads and highways, and modify existing road curbs to accommodate bicycle-cum-pedestrian paths in a move to promote cycling, said the Consumers Association of Penang.

CAP president S.M. Mohd Idris said yesterday that Malaysian roads and highways today were built without consideration to slow-moving vehicles, and it was suicidal to ride a bicycle in bustling areas.

He said that in view of the recent fuel price hike, it was timely for the government to promote cycling, which was good for health and the environment, fun and cost efficient.

He said other measures that the government could take included providing clear signage on bicycle routes, introducing road designs that promote a safe and well-lit environment for cycling, and providing safe, convenient and cheap parking spaces for bicycles.
(From right) Penang Cycling Association president Datuk Dr Zainuddin Md Wazir, Mohd Idris and CAP treasurer and campaign co-ordinator Ooi Kim Aun posing for a photo at the press conference.

Mohd Idris said that CAP had sent the proposals to various local councils and the ministries of Transport and Health two years ago.

“When we approached local councils, they agreed to look into the implementation in future projects but they also asked how many people actually cycle.”

Idris was speaking at a press conference on CAP’s Bicycle Campaign which will be held at 8am on July 27.

The event will begin and end in front of the Bangunan Tuanku Syed Putra at Downing Street, George Town.

The 12km route covers Beach Street, Chulia Street, Penang Road, Burma Road, Andon Road, Perak Road, Macalister Road, Peel Avenue, Burma Road, Pangkor Road, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Farquhar Street, Light Street and Weld Quay.

The campaign is jointly organised by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s Penang office and CAP, with the co-operation of the state Department of Environment (DOE) and the Penang Cycling Association.

Entry forms, which can be downloaded from www. cap.org.my, are also available at the Domestic Trade and Consu-mer Affairs Ministry's office (04-2616167), CAP (04-8299511), the DOE (04-3334441), the Penang Cycling Association (Munir at 012-4098110), and all 35 bicycle shops in the state.

Closing date for entries is July 14.