Page 287 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 3

Cihan Erçetin

As a result of the evaluation on best practices and sustainability of bicycle
transportation, some factors are highlighted related to the creation of cycling
culture in the cities in Türkiye and the perception and use of bicycle as a
sustainable means of transportation. These factors include;
• Preparation of plans focused on cycling,
• Enforcing the rules for cycling on a legal basis,
• Improvement of cycling route infrastructure,
• Development of bicycle sharing systems and using them as the
incentives for cycling,
• Provision of bicycle parking spaces with planned and equal access,
• Using the variable oil supply in the world and the related price changes
in the rising direction as an opportunity to adopt cycling as a means of
transport,
• Using the lessons learned from the global pandemic conditions as an
opportunity to encourage the use of bicycles,
• The necessity of deterrent policies on the orientation to automobile
use in the conditions where people’s welfare level increases,
• Carrying out awareness raising, educational and informing activities for
the transformation of the perception about the use of bicycles,
• Establishment of official units within the municipalities for cycling
• Allocating a significant amount of budget specifically for the
development of cycling
• NGOs and individuals to take an active role in this sustainable
transformation, addressing the participatory practices and policy-
making processes within the framework of governance principles
These mentioned factors are context-dependent for each city and
geography. The order and priority of these factors as well as the fields and
targeted socio-economic groups to be taken into account in implementing
them will be determined by the climate and topography conditions specific
to the city, land use, transportation habits, attitudes of policy makers and the
people’s perception of cycling. It is aimed that these factors will be inspiring
for the Turkish cities where significant steps are taken for cycling, and that
policies, in particular, making a positive contribution to environmental
sustainability will be created in a planned and controlled manner.

272 Journal of Environment, Urbanization and Climate