THE Dutch offered a helping hand as the country tries to transition to a culture of cycling as a major mode of transportation amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dutch Ambassador Saskia de Lang said in an online session on Thursday that the country could learn from the cycling culture The Netherlands has developed and mastered.
“We can share our knowledge to the Philippines in the field of cycling,” de Lang said in the forum that included environmentalist and Antique Lone District Rep. Loren Legarda.
“We are open to any invitation by the local government units or any organization—governments, civil society or private sector—to discuss the issues of cycling,” she added.
The Netherlands is considered as the cycling capital of the world. Its Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management reported that in 2019, 25 percent of the Dutch use bicycles for transport.
The Netherlands has 23 million bicycles, exceeding its population of 17 million, and boasts of the most elaborate bicycle lane network in the world especially in the capital Amsterdam.
The demand for bicycles rose in the past few weeks as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases continue to ban jeepneys and buses.
“What we see currently is a surge of interest for alternative ways of transport in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic,” de Lang said.
The Dutch Embassy started cooperating with Iloilo City on the inclusion of bicycle infrastructure in its Comprehensive Land Use Plan last year. The collaboration stemmed from the need to decongest the city.
De Lang said she wanted a comprehensive cycling plan in the National Capital Region.
“We want to replicate what we did in Iloilo. For biking lanes, you need some roads. You need infrastructure but not in all roads. It can be developed in a cost-effective way,” she said.
“It’s about the cyclist, the riders, and the better normal. When need to build lanes for those who need sustainable mobility,” Legarda said.
Image credits: Roy Domingo