The government will give a million bicycles to school children throughout the country by 2015 to promote non-motorised transport (NMT), Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Thursday.
There is a need to provide safe, affordable and reliable transport to pupils in rural and urban areas, Radebe told an international conference on NMT in Midrand on Thursday.
The Shova Kalula (Pedal Easy) project will include the construction of dedicated bicycle pathways, bicycle safety education and the promotion and provision of bicycles, in partnership with the private sector and civil society.
This will go a long way to popularising cycling as a mode of transport in society — particularly in the run-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Radebe said.
“Global experiences in the previous Soccer World Cup tournaments indicate very clearly that NMT plays a key role to ensure effective utilisation of space and mobility of people in a manner that is environmentally friendly and affordable to plan and implement,” he said.
However, a major barrier is the high risk of crashes on roads, he said, pointing out that a Human Science Research Council had found that 43 cyclists were killed in road accidents in Pretoria in 2005.
Another mode of NMT which will receive attention is the animal-drawn carts rural communities have relied on for many years to access schools, clinics, pension pay points and all other social services.
Animal welfare issues will be taken into account, said Radebe.
He said the department has already developed a database of suppliers of non-motorised carts and bicycles — and related technology — and this will be continuously updated. — Sapa