Parking area for cycles

One may think that lack of bicycle lane is the primary problem that cyclists face in Dhaka but in reality a bigger problem that cyclists are facing in the city is lack of safe bicycle parking areas at most shopping malls, office buildings, apartment complexes and even at public places.
Bicycle theft has become very common due to lack of safe bicycle parking area. Due to the high level of bicycle theft many potential cyclists feel discouraged to buy bicycles, many cyclists who had their bicycles stolen are not interested discouraged to buy new bicycles while existing cyclists hesitate to commute by bicycles or conduct their daily chores using bicycles as they fear that these may get stolen.
To prevent their bicycles from getting stolen some cyclists are keeping their bicycle in their bedroom.
Bicycle is an environment-friendly sustainable mode of transport. It is now promoted in many cities around the world, especially for commuting purposes as it helps to reduce demand of motorised transport thereby reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.
In addition, it also provides health benefits to the cyclist. To promote cycling, shopping malls, office buildings, apartment complexes and public places should consider to provide safe bicycle parking areas.
One has to realise that it does not take much space to park a bicycle. In fact, it is possible to park about 6-10 bicycles in a space where only one car can be parked. Therefore, every building should have the required space for bicycle parking. Building owners only have to demarcate the space for the purpose and ensure security so that the bicycles remain safe.
The writer is a Thailand-based Transportation Engineer.
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