The objective of this report is to identify the issues in transportation in Sri Lanka and identify the negative and positive benefits of promoting cycling as a solution to the identified issues. It discusses the Sri Lankan context with the examples of the countries who have already implemented cycling as a mass transport solution.

1. SOCIAL IMPACT OF
PROMOTING THE USE OF
THE BICYCLE AS A MEANS
OF TRASNPORTAION IN
RESPONSE TO ISSUES OF
PROPER TRANSPORT
MANAGEMENT IN SRI
LANKA
HASHAN RAHUBADDHA
141456X
TL 2153 – SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

2. 1
INTRODUCTION
Transport plays a crucial role in social development by providing access for people
to education, markets, employment, recreation, health care and other key services.

3. 2
Especially in cities of the developing world, enhanced mobility for the poor and
vulnerable groups is one of the most important preconditions for achieving
Sustainable Development Goals. Those countries with transport modes in an
integrated system are more likely to evolve and prosper as centers for trade,
commerce, industry, education, tourism and services. It is common that cities
ranking at the top of surveys measuring urban quality of life have high quality
urban transport systems that prioritize public transport and non-motorized modes.
Bicycle, which is a popular non-motorized mode of transportation, was first
introduced during 19th
century. Since then there are more than 1 billion cycles
produced worldwide which is twice as many as the automobiles produced. Even
though in earlier days it was mainly a mode of passenger transportation, with the
development of automobile cycling became more of a sports and recreational
activity. But with the growing concerns of carbon footprint by automobiles and the
health benefits to humans by cycling, it is now becoming a popular mode of
transportation for short distance travel.
Many western countries such as New Zealand, Poland, Denmark, Netherlands and
eastern countries such as China and Japan have identified this importance and are
taking measures to make cycling one of the major modes of transportations over
the years.
Although in Sri Lanka the measures have been taken to promote the cycling as a
major transport method, it has been a failure due to various reasons. But in the
recent times with the advent of recreational parks in the urban communities, people
have been keen on using bicycle again as a recreational activity. But it is yet to be
established as a major transport method in the urban Sri Lanka, while the remote
Sri Lanka cycling is still a popular mode transportation. But over the years the rate
of cycling has been decreased even in the remote areas due to many social-

4. 3
economic reasons. In recent times promoting the use of better planned public
transportation has been perceived as the key for solving the issues in the transport
planning in Sri Lanka such as high congestion and less capacity of the roads. But
recently initiated Mega polis in the Western Province has embedded separate cycle
lanes as a part of its transport plan. Thus, it is evident that Sri Lanka is slowing
catching up with the non-motorized transport mode transport which has been using
by the developed countries with the start of the new millennium. If such initiatives
is taken place, there would be a social impact on the whole society.

5. 4
2. OBJECTIVE

6. 5
The objective of this report is to identify the issues in transportation in Sri Lanka
and identify the negative and positive benefits of promoting cycling as a solution to
the identified issues.
It discusses the Sri Lankan context with the examples of the countries who have
already implemented cycling as a mass transport solution.

7. 6
3. METHEDOLOGY

8. 7
This report is based on secondary data which were referred on published research
papers, annual reports and other publications of governments of Sri Lanka and
other countries, which use Cycling as a successful mode of mass transport.
Published online articles on the negative and positive impacts were also referred.
Common sense on the benefits of cycling was used to validate and finalize the
factors.
The articles, research papers and publications from which the data was taken are
attached at the end of the report under references.

9. 8
4. ISSUES & CHALLENGES IN
THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY
OF SRILANKA

10. 9
4.1 UNCONTROLLED MOTORIZATION
“Soon you’ll be speeding at 15 kmph on Colombo roads”
– Senior Professor Amal S. Kumarage,
Department of Transport and Logistics Management, University of Moratuwa
With rapid urbanization and economic growth, motorization has been accelerating
in cities in developing countries like Sri Lanka. For example, an average of 1,400
cars, vans, three-wheelers and motorcycles being registered every day. The number
of motor vehicles per one thousand people has more than tripled in the past 30
years. Owning a private car or a motorized two-wheeler is a major aspiration for
people in these cities, in particular, where public transport service is often
inadequate and unsafe.
Unfortunately, city managers in developing countries are following the same car-
oriented transport development patterns made by many cities in developed
countries in the past. Ironically, many cities in developed countries are now trying
to recover from a car-dominated development era by halting the building of more
infrastructures for private vehicles and re-allocating road space for public transport
and non-motorized transport like cycles and walking.
This approach has been called in some cases a “road diet” or “complete streets”
(the first is one where space for cars is explicitly reduced, the second emphasizes
the need for streets where all road users are catered to).
One considerable problem that is seen the world over is that there is a feeling,
mainly prompted by traditional road engineering, which can be summarized in the
phrase “build your way out of congestion”. It essentially reduces the problem of
congestion to a lack of sufficient road space and a need for better traffic flow,
disregarding other more complex problems of travel demand management,
negative externalities (side-effects) of such policies and overall livability in an

11. 10
urban setting. This approach has luckily started to lose strength, but some cities
still erroneously promote this vision as the solution to congestion and transport
problems. In the developing world, however, the trend is still largely in favor of the
expansion of infrastructure for private motor vehicles. Policies for more and more
road construction have clearly failed to cope with ever increasing demand from
rapid motorization, resulting in a vicious circle as depicted in Figure 1. This cycle
shows how the increase of infrastructure to alleviate travel demand will have
apparently positive consequences in the short term, but some months later there
will be a much greater congestion than before, thus increasing the problem rather
than solving it.
4.2 URBAN AIR POLLUTION
"Schoolchildren in the Kandy have become victims of this situation, and as
reported, breathing illnesses among them such as asthma have increased”
- Prof. O. A. Illeperuma, University of Peradeniya (Mudalige, 2012)
Another major problem for Urban Sri Lanka is the air pollution, which is a
widespread environmental hazard. Even though the level of different air pollutants
in cities of developing cities are generally higher than those of developed ones, still
very few cities overall stay below the recommended levels by the (P.T.O)
Figure 1: Vicious Circle of Car-Oriented Transport Development
More
Cars
Conge
stion
More
Roads
More
Cars
Conge
stion
More
Roads

12. 11
World Health Organization (WHO). In most cities in the world, the road transport
sector is the largest contributor of these urban air pollutants, as well as to high levels
of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, among other substances. These high levels
contribute to various respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Various
epidemiological studies have clearly linked transport-related contaminants to
asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks, and strokes.
Due to this many people now try to move out of the city limits to live in suburbs,
less polluted areas.
4.3 EQUITY ISSUES ARRISING FROM MOBILITY OF THE POOR
“Poverty must be seen as the deprivation of basic capabilities rather than
merely as lowness of income”
- Amartya Sen, 1999
There is much less accessibility for lower-income groups (and vulnerable groups in
general) due to high/inequitable transport fares, lack of public transport provision
to areas where low-income populations live, and lack of safe and high quality
infrastructure for these users (including sidewalks, which are often neglected in
favor of roads). Transport patterns of citizens vary widely, with low-income
women travelling in trip chains (various short trips chained to one another) rather
than pendula trips (one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon), and a great
use of nonmotorized transport modes (walking, cycling). - Negative impacts from
unsustainable transport systems affect the poor disproportionately. This situation
poses a threat to social development and general equity in Sri Lanka.
For instance, non-motorized transit is often an ‘orphan’ in transport systems and is
frequently overlooked and considered as a peripheral issue rather than a core
requirement. In most cases, for example, cycling is not well integrated with public
transportation, which leads to loss of potential passengers. Also, partly as a result
of this circumstance, the majority of victims in traffic accidents are pedestrians and
cyclists, many of whom belong to lower income groups.
Urban transport needs of all social groups are seldom met, especially in cities like
Colombo. This may be due to a lack of understanding of such needs, a lack of data
on the transport trends of different population groups or simple lack of knowledge

13. 12
about the importance of understanding all these needs and acting upon them. A
more comprehensive approach towards the travel patterns of different groups in
society reveals the following: - There are many more trips being taken by
individuals with higher income than by those of lower income, mostly because
low-income groups do not have the capacity (in time or money) to travel more.
This weighs heavily on their capacity to access jobs, education, health and all other
services that a city can provide, reducing their participation in society as a whole.

14. 13
4.4 SOCIAL SEGREGATION BETWEEN VEHICLE OWNERS AND
OTHERS
Car and other luxury motor vehicles encourages social segregation. Cars require
copious space for parking and driving; these needs can be met through zoning
and/or geographical social segregation, often around ethnicity or class. Social
segregation physically embeds unequal social relations into the built environment,
strengthening these divisions. In Sri Lanka increasing access to cars over the past
three decades has allowed the population who can to segregate further.
Since the society perceive the car ownership as an expression of their status even
for a sort visit of 100 meters they use car to show off their social class protecting
their ego created by the same segregation the vehicles have imposed on Sri
Lankans.
4.5 OTHER ISSUES
Apart from these four issues there are many other socio-economic issues that’s
created by Sri Lanka’s poorly managed transport system such as
i. Mobility needs of differently abled and senior citizens.
ii. Road safety and fatalities due to road accidents.
iii. High time and fuel wastage.

15. 14
5. CONTEXT SETTING

16. 15
To solve all those issues and challenges in the Transport system of Sri Lanka many
initiatives and programs have been proposed and discussed among the policy
makers. One of the popular suggestions are Bus Rapid Transit System (B.R.T),
Light Rapid Transit (L.R.T), Highways, Expressways.
Bicycles has never been considered as a viable option to combat such issues rather
it was considered as just another recreational activity. But over the years to
reduce air pollution, traffic congestion and the health problems linked to sedentary
lifestyles, many developed cities around the world — from Beijing to Boston, and
Montreal to Mumbai — are working to encourage residents to bicycle more. These
and hundreds of other communities have established bike sharing programs,
regularly close down streets to attract walkers and cyclists, and are investing
in cycling-specific infrastructure.
Going ahead with the policies implemented by the developed countries, Sri
Lanka’s Megapolis plan for the Western region aims to promote bicycle usage as a
mode of transportation as it is environmentally friendly, reduces emissions and fuel
costs and improves public health, the report states (LBO, 2016).
But just like every policy decision, cycling also has two sides to it. Positives and
Negatives.

17. 16
6. POSITIVE IMPACTS OF
CYCLING

18. 17
1. More Livable Towns and Cities
Good cycling infrastructure can make travelling around towns and cities a deeply
pleasurable activity. Something that really makes a town or city livable is when
being in its environment is a pleasure itself, and commuting or travelling within it
is an enjoyable experience rather than something to be endured.
“…cycle commuters positively value aesthetic experience with greenery,
contact with the natural environment and distance from motorized traffic
being most important”. (Stfansdottir H. 2014)
Cycling makes towns and cities more accessible. With the option of being able to
cycle safely and enjoyably, people can get around their town or Cycling reduces
noise in towns and cities by reducing the number of trips made by private car,
making them much more pleasant places to live. It also makes moving around
towns and cities more pleasant, with fewer cars impeding pedestrians from
crossing streets as the cars hurtle along at speed Having the option of being able to
cycle may be particularly good for young people, the elderly, people who are
economically disadvantaged, people with disabilities and people who do not drive.
For young people, being able to cycle safely can mean gaining independence to
attend sporting activities, clubs and other social and recreational pursuits when
parents are not available to take them and public transport is not available.
2. Improved Conditions for Travelling Within Towns and Cities
Getting just a few people onto bikes can15 make a difference to traffic flows.
Many people tend to overestimate travel times by bicycle, and when travel time is
measured door to door, it can often be quicker on a bicycle
than by motor vehicle (including distances up to 5km where roads are
congested).18 Fifty-six percent of Copenhagen bike riders surveyed say that
cycling is the fastest mode of transport for their purposes. Where there is good
cycling infrastructure, people who drive will feel more comfortable driving near
people who cycle. A 2013 study in San Francisco found that whether or not they
rode bikes themselves, over 80 percent of drivers felt moderately or very
comfortable. (Sanders and Cooper 2013 )

19. 18
3. Stronger Local Economies
Cycling potentially also boosts retail spend. Various studies have shown that
cycling infrastructure can lead to an increase in retail sales.25 People who cycle
have been found to be more likely to stop and visit shops more often, and to spend
more money at those shops overtime, than people who drive.26 Cycleways that
run past shop doors can be a very good thing for retailers.
Good cycling infrastructure also attracts people to visit. Reports from Hastings
indicate that visitors are being attracted to the area because of its cycling
opportunities and many local businesses are reporting significant growth. More
bike-friendly towns and cities would also encourage visitors from the New Zealand
Cycle Trail, who spend money in local communities.
4. Reduced Costs for Councils
An increase in cycling saves councils money. This is especially clear where
populations are expected to grow. In Christchurch, for example, where 50,000
additional car trips per day are predicted in the city by 2041 unless there is a mode
shift to walking, cycling and public transport31, more cycling would mean reduced
costs for additional road capacity, maintenance
5. Less Impact on The Environment
A small reduction in short vehicle trips potentially generates significant reduction
in carbon emissions. Shifting 5 percent of car trips to bicycle could reduce
emission impacts by up to 8 percent.33 Similarly, reducing trips by car can reduce
the amount of other air pollutants.

20. 19
6. Healthier and More Productive People
Regular aerobic exercise is known to cut the risk of heart disease, type-two
diabetes, all types of cancer, high blood pressure and obesity35, and evidence
shows that New Zealand communities with higher numbers of people cycling and
walking, especially for transport purposes, have better health profiles than those in
less active neighborhoods (Genter, J.A., Donovan, S. and Petrenas, B. 2008)
7. Improve social inclusion
Mobility needs of the entire society do not always coincide due to several factors,
namely the lack of income, lack of time, lack of means and lack of access. People’s
mobility and transport demands thus depend on their socio-economic situation.
This creates mobility gaps between different social groups in the society. But
promoting a low cost, simple transportation mode such as bicycles will reduce this
gap since everyone can afford the mode despite of their income. For people who
are economically disadvantaged or do not drive, being able to cycle safely can
mean being more able to search for work, access services and retain social
connections.
For an example in countries like Netherlands and Denmark even the members of
Parliament travel by Bicycles which shows the developed societal mentality. In a
country like Sri Lanka such an extreme might appear infeasible, but promoting the
bicycle at least in the urban areas will create this social inclusiveness.
8. Enhance social relationships
Cycling improves social connection in towns and cities. With some people, more
likely to be able to access recreational opportunities, and streets having a more
pleasant ambience for spending time in, people are more likely to meet each other.
Streets with lower levels of traffic are popular with people on bikes and on foot,
and facilitate people being more likely to make friends with their neighbors and
spend more time on their streets. Social isolation is therefore likely to be reduced.

21. 20
7. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
CYCLING

22. 21
At the same time having several positive impacts on people and environment both
by cycling, there are few negative impacts also being identified
Increase in Road fatalities
The only personal protective equipment used when cycling is the cycling helmet.
Even if it was used in most of the foreign countries, use of helmets while utility
cycling is rarely seen in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the tendency of cycling facing with
fatal accidents is high. In Sri Lanka in majority of the cities there is no cycling
paths or dedicated right of way for cyclist have constructed. Therefore, they will
have to share the road with other automobiles which will further increase the
danger of cycling.
No Government Regulation
In most of the countries including Sri Lanka cycling is considered a sports and
recreation activity more than utility activity of transportation. Therefore, there is no
specific regulatory framework for cyclists. Due to this people, might fell unsafe to
cycle on main roads since there is no regulation to ensure their safety on road. Also
in the Sri Lankan roadways, its hardly seen any signage relating to cycling.
Therefore, people might develop a negative attitude towards cycling and hence it
requires a proper promotion plan by Government.
Negative Health Impacts
Long term cycling can cause several negative health impacts as well. It can cause
several dietary problems due to the posture and the increase of appetite while
cycling which result in eating unhealthy junk food. It also causes muscular skeletal
problems due to hunching back during cycling and several disorders in feet. Apart
from that cycling creates long term reproductive and Genitalia problems in both
male and female.

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8. CONCLUSION

24. 23
Utility cycling as a mode of transport has several impacts on the society in terms of
impacts on people and impacts on society. Considering all the positive impacts and
negative impacts it can be identifies as one of the best modes of short distance
transportation for both passenger and goods with minimal harm. It is also an
excellent solution for many road traffic problems that Sri Lanka is facing currently.
Most of the western countries have identified this importance of promoting cycling
as a mode of transportation has benefited through it over years. But Sri Lanka is
yet to communicate the urban population regarding these social impacts of cycling
and the government and other responsible parties has a huge responsibility in
creating a legal framework to encourage cycling in the society.

25. 24
10.REFERENCES

26. 25
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-bad-effects-of-cycling-and-how-
to-overcome-the-same
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1307250/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266231669_Private_Vehicle
_Ownership_and_Transportation_Planning_in_Malaysia
http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/07/13/news03.asp
http://lankaequityforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2059
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/cycling-encouraged-in-sri-lanka-
megapolis-transport-plan/
https://thinkingaboutcycling.com/social-movements-and-the-bicycle/
http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/susdevtopics/sdt_pdfs/shanghaimanual/C
hapter%204%20-%20Sustainable%20urban%20transport.pdf
http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/transportation/bik
e-lanes-cost-effectiveness-public-health
http://journalistsresource.org/studies/environment/transportation/soc
ietal-costs-benefits-commuter-bicycling