BRUNEI should build cycling lanes, especially along highways, to improve the safety of cyclists and motorists, some road users said yesterday.
School teacher Hj Mohd Firdaus Hj Suhaili said that there are a lot of cyclists along the Muara-Tutong highway on a day-to-day basis, which poses safety risks as there are no cycling lanes.He added that if there were cycling lanes along that highway, the recent tragedy involving the fatality of a cyclist could have been avoided.
A frequent traveller who commutes from Kuala Belait to the capital on most weekends said: "I often notice cyclists along the Muara-Tutong highway when I drive down and frankly, I get nervous when I see them on the side of the lanes because they're just too close to cars that pass by."
She recommended cycling lanes be built anywhere where there are pedestrians, around the capital and especially the Muara-Tutong highway.
"We should probably have campaigns to promote a more healthier and active lifestyle among the public to encourage cycling as most people are spoilt and travel by cars because of its accessibility," she added.
She added: "People might be scared to cycle now due to the tragic incident which occurred recently, however I think if we start taking precautions now by building cycling lanes to designated areas for cyclers, the public will start to develop a positive feel to cycling again."
A local businessman in his 30s shared the same sentiments. "If there aren't any proper cycling lanes, there should be at least an emergency lane allocated on most roads the size of the width of a car to give enough space for cyclists to travel in or for cars that might have to make emergency stops," he said. The businessman also suggested the police issue warnings to cyclists that do not have proper safety gears when cycling.
A teacher from Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College said that she feels scared when there are cyclists on the side of the roads.
"As there are no proper cycling lanes, I am never sure whether to slow down or speed up to avoid getting near the cyclists. It's just too dangerous not to have an allocated space for the cyclists to travel around," she explained.
"Although cycling lanes should be built for cyclists, I do not advise the lanes to be built in residential areas. The roads are already very narrow in the housing area I stay in, and there isn't any space for the cycling lanes to be built," she added.
Hj Mohd Firdaus suggested that Jerudong Park be made into a recreational area for cyclists who intend to cycle for leisure. "As the majority of our population do not cycle to work, a safer environment should then be given to people who want to cycle for their own leisure," he said.
He also encouraged people to cycle to work instead of commuting by cars.
"Brunei has a growing rate of obesity, and therefore people should start cycling to get to their destinations for health reasons. Also, we would then be able to save our oil resources because less cars on the road means less fuel needed," said Hj Firdaus.
To encourage more people to take up cycling in Brunei, more challenges and competitions should be introduced, such as bicyclethons, he added.
A businesswoman in her late 20s said: "Organisations should encourage cycling among their employees when commuting to work as a part of their corporate social responsibility."
She added that not only will organisations be practising goodwill, but they will also be saving the environment at the same time.
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