FRSC Advocates Use Of Bicycles As Alternative Means Of Transport

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday said that the commission would continue to promote the use of bicycles as an alternative means of transportation in the country.


Then FRSC Zonal Commander, Mr Luka Kinya, said this at the formal launching of its annual ‘National Bicycle Week’ in Osogbo. Kinya, who is in charge Osun, Ondo and Oyo, said this was being done as part of its efforts to decongest the roads.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the launch is the second edition of the programme being pursued nationally by the FRSC. He said the commission was partnering with the Osun Ministry of Works, Youths, Sports and Special Needs for this year’s programme.

The zonal commander said the exercise was to sensitise the public on the need to embrace and make use of the bicycle as an alternative and safe means of transportation. He said it would be beneficial to the public to know that riding a bicycle for 30 minutes every week would give a person the chance of living 10 years longer than some that do not. He said bicycle riders also fall sick 25 per cent less than those who did not ride bicycles.

Kinya also said that bicycle riders save more money compared to those buying fuel to drive a car. He said members of the public would therefore benefit a lot if they embrace the use of bicycle as a means of transportation. Dr Akinyinka Esho, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Special Needs, said the state government was glad to partner with the FRSC in keeping the people and roads safe. Esho, who was represented by Mr Lai Adeshinyan, a Director in the Ministry, said the campaign for the people to embrace the use of bicycles would be beneficial to the public in the long run.

He said apart from decongesting the roads and reducing road traffic crashes, it would equally help the government to map out bicycle lanes in their road construction and rehabilitation projects. He advised indigenes and residents of the state to embrace the bicycle riding culture, saying it was a cheap and cost effective mode of transportation. NAN reports that the ‘National Bicycle Week’ is to run from Dec. 15 to Dec. 20 in all the 36 states of the federation

NAN