At the end of last year, the number of motor vehicles in Changsha exceeded 1.3 million. With the growing number of cars on one hand and increasingly strained roads and parking spaces on the other, what is the solution?
On January 27, Xia Man, a member of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, submitted a proposal titled “On Adding and Restoring Bicycle Lanes on Main Roads.” She suggested establishing relatively independent bicycle-only lanes and gradually forming a bicycle traffic network through the planning and construction of urban residential and commercial areas.
“Aside from the dedicated bicycle lane on Wuyi Avenue, other main roads in Changsha lack both bicycle lanes and bicycle parking areas. When residents ride bicycles on the road, they have to use motor vehicle lanes, risking collisions with cars. If they use sidewalks, they constantly worry about hitting the elderly or children,” said Xia Man. “Dedicated bicycle lanes should be added to the city’s main roads. This would not only encourage citizens to voluntarily reduce the use of private cars, alleviating Changsha’s traffic congestion and exhaust pollution, but also serve as a healthy transportation option for residents.”
In recent years, various government departments have repeatedly organized events such as ‘Environmental Protection Action Days’ and ‘Car-Free Days,’ encouraging citizens to give up their private cars and ride bicycles to work. However, the results have been limited, mainly due to the lack of supporting bicycle lanes.
Xia Man believes there are several reasons why bicycle lanes in Changsha have “disappeared”: first, inadequate urban planning. The absence of bicycle lanes forces many cyclists onto sidewalks or motor vehicle lanes, increasing the risk of accidents. Second, road expansions have left regrets, with no space reserved for bicycles. Third, random parking of motor vehicles has led to competition for road space among bicycles, cars, and pedestrians.
She suggested that relevant departments work together to establish relatively independent bicycle-only lanes and reclaim bike lanes that have been occupied. In the planning and construction of urban residential and commercial areas, full consideration should be given to the right of way for bicycles, making full use of existing roads and side streets to develop a bicycle transport system and gradually form a regional bicycle traffic network.
At the same time, residential areas and public facilities should also provide sufficient parking space and convenient parking facilities for bicycles. New residential communities must be equipped with permanent bicycle parking lots (garages), while older residential areas and hutong neighborhoods should address residents' bicycle parking needs by building public bicycle parking facilities.