Changing times for cyclists

• Source: Global Times
• [07:54 July 02 2009]
• Comments

By Lin Jiasi

Jiang Yuehua and Wang Shuyuan share a bicycle to get to their wedding ceremony in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, last month. The couple hired 30 bikes for their friends and families. Photo: CFP

The urbanization of Beijing has led to a decline in the number of bicycles on the city’s streets, and the trend is set to continue, the China Bicycle Association told the Global Times yesterday.

“There are about 10 million bikes in Beijing,” association spokesman Niu Qin said.

“Although there are more motorbikes and scooters on the roads, and lots more cars, these have not had a huge impact on the bicycle market.”

The fall in the number of cyclists is due to urbanization and commercial development, as people now prefer to use public transport for commuting, he said.

The metro system and better bus services are simply more practical, he said.

“People have to travel a lot further to work these days. In the past, you could ride maybe 10 kilometers or so to work, but now people have to travel 30 kilometers and more.”