Bicycles are the future

The University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) As’Vaye UJ Cycling Club partnered with the City of Johannesburg Transport Department to promote cycling.

The event was designed to raise awareness about alternative modes of transport among students and staff members.

The aim was to introduce them to the City of Johannesburg’s new bicycle lanes within the university corridor and to address challenges of the reliance on cars, taxis and buses for short trips.

Students got the opportunity to travel on an accompanied 2km bicycle lane tour with experienced cyclists on Ditton Avenue. Some students also learned how to ride a bicycle on campus for those who did not know how to.

As’Vaye UJ Cycling Club coordinator Teererai Dzinotyiweyi said the university noticed that there were very few students using bicycles as a mode of transport. It, therefore, made sense to teach people how to ride and give some bicycle safety education in addition to raising awareness, he said.

He also highlighted that it was important to make use of the network of dedicated bicycle lanes across Johannesburg that were constructed by the City of Johannesburg as a convenient mode of transport for students.

“Some of these lanes connect the University of Johannesburg Auckland Park Kingsway, Auckland Park Bunting Road and Doorfontein campus. This network of bicycle lanes is called the University Corridor Lanes,” said Dzinotyiweyi.

The initiative was a great success with 725 students participating in the five-day bicycle promotion.

The next event will take place at the UJ Soweto campus with the date is still to be confirmed.

Team SA cyclist Relebohile Pebane, who is an instructor at the club said, “Students should look at cycling as a social platform and a convenient substitute for transport and not as a sport. They don’t have to be good at the activity but should look at it in a communal light.”

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