Nigeria, Federal government has announced plans to introduce bicycle riding as one of the means of transportation within the city centers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said it was part of the resolutions taken at the just concluded, 15th National Council on Transportation (NCT).
The minister disclosed that the decision for the choice of FCT as the pilot edition of the project was because the city roads already have the facilities required to operate an efficient bicycle riding as means of transportation. Don’t forget that it is a policy making Council. We approved that we should do a pilot project on bicycle riding in FCT because it is the only state with facilities for bicycle riding.
“Other states would have to construct such facilities before it could be introduced there. The facilities are the ones that will protect them on the road because some motorists are not patient with them. If you check all the roads in Abuja there are lanes for bicycles. The introduction means that anybody who wants to go on a bicycle can do so.
“You may ask why bicycle but don’t forget that it is there in China, in UK, Spain, and many other countries. The benefit is that it is an investment first and secondly it will help in the exercise and thirdly it will reduce the number of passengers jostling for motor vehicles. It will be within the city not outside the city,”.
