Mobility was one of the hottest topics of conversation internationally last year and this trend is likely to grow in 2019, according to Open Streets Cape Town – a Central City NPO which advocates for behavioural change around the role of streets in the life of the city. It’s encouraging to see the Central City making strides in this area, thanks to progressive individuals who are making cycling in and around the Central City easier and enjoyable for all.
The Friday lunchtime City Centre Cycle initiative was founded in late September 2018 by two Environmental Management interns from the City of Cape Town, Tiffany Chalmers and Julia Munroe. They started the initiative to draw attention to October as Transport Month, which aims to raise awareness of the important role of transport in the economy and invites participation from civil society and business towards providing a safer, more affordable, accessible and reliable transport system. Due to the positive response, the initiative continued beyond Transport Month and 2019 has already seen the lunchtime cycles resuming in earnest.
The initiative involves individuals meeting at 12h00, with their bicycles, in a central area in the CBD, such as the Arch for the Arch Monument situated next to St George’s Cathedral or outside the Cape Town Civic Centre on the Foreshore. The group, which is marshalled by experienced cyclists, then proceeds to leisurely cycle a 5 km route around the Central City, making use of bike lanes and experiencing the all-too familiar city streets through the “lens” of a bicycle rider.
According to Julia, she and Tiffany realised that a major factor preventing people from cycling in the Central City was fear – both of reckless drivers and a lack of safety. “Our solution,” says Julia, “was to create opportunities for people to practice cycling in the safety of a group, in a supportive and fun environment. Thus, the City Centre Cycle initiative was born. We’re also mindful of the challenge that lies within the City’s Cycling Strategy to increase the mode share of cycling from the current 1 % to 8 % by 2030. So, with City Centre Cycle, we want to bring more of a cycling presence to the city, give people the opportunity to practise cycling in an urban context and grow a community of city cyclists in the long term.”
She further explains that, globally, cycling is increasingly seen as an asset to integrated, accessible transport systems and a means towards achieving one of the United Nation’s own Sustainable Development Goals, of which there are 17 in total. These goals address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. Goal number 11 relates to sustainable cities and communities and it states that there needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more. Overall, the goals interconnect, and to ensure that no one is left behind, it is important that each goal’s target is achieved by 2030.
Julia adds: “With Capetonians spending a lot of their time every year sitting in traffic and many South Africans spending a substantial amount of their income on transport, alternative, integrated mobility options like cycling need to be given greater consideration. And initiatives like City Centre Cycle bring us one step closer to realising a Cape Town cycling culture that enables cleaner, more affordable transport for all.”
With around ten rides having taken place to date at the time of this article, the City Centre Cycle initiative has been supported by over 70 individuals from local and provincial government departments, businesses and organisations in the CBD. It has also received a great deal of support from the Open Streets Cape Town movement as well as from the Pedal Power Association. The latter supplies bicycles for those who do not have their own, thus ensuring that anyone from teetering beginners to seasoned commuters can participate. Upcycles (50 Waterkant Street) and &Bikes Cafe (32 Loop Street) have also provided bicycles for the initiative.
Says Sindile Mavundla, one of the City Centre Cycle participants who has been cycling to work in the CBD for the past year: “I believe that as much as this initiative is about encouraging people to use low-carbon transport when moving around the city, it also presents an opportunity for people to learn how to cycle in the city, become familiar with different bicycle routes and gain confidence when it comes to riding in heavy traffic.” Most importantly, says Sindile, it allows people to connect with other people and reclaim the streets as a space to be shared by all users. “I’m also very excited to see how this movement can grow and bring attention to bicycles being recognised as a mode of transport in our city,” she says.
For more information about the City Centre Cycle and how to get involved, contact: julia.munroe@capetown.gov.za
Images by Julia Munroe
Note: This article was first published in the autumn edition of City Views