Director of The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) in Canada, Nancy Smith Lea, says the pandemic may just be the push cities need when it comes to active transportation.
“The pandemic has heightened our awareness of the urgent need to reclaim some of the public space we’ve handed over to private vehicles to ensure people are safe.”
Smith Lea says these changes – which have been lacking in automobile dominated cities for the past several decades – could be a meaningful move toward reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
“It’s easy to underestimate the power of the bicycle, it’s such a simple form of transportation yet so powerful,” she said.
“Getting around the city by bike is often the fastest, cheapest, most enjoyable transportation option for many trips. Walking and cycling are also the best zero-emission options for short trips.”
And the positive effect on the climate is not the only advantage of bicycling, Smith Lea says switching to a two-wheeler also has its health benefits and considers it a response to the chronic health crisis.
Read the full article: Here’s how the pandemic is leading to more bikeable and liveable cities in Canada