Hong Kong is not ideal for cyclists

Air pollution is a serious problem in Hong Kong. Heavy traffic makes it even worse. A recent policy is aimed at encouraging people to take up cycling in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a relatively small place, which should make it easier for people to travel around by bike.

Although riding bicycles seems like a good way to improve air quality and ease traffic congestion, it isn't without problems.

Hong Kong is a highly urbanised and densely populated city. There's not much space for people to ride their bicycles on streets. That can make for dangerous situations. Likewise, there aren't enough parking spaces for bikes, which could also be a problem. Also, some cyclists use narrow footpaths, which can pose a danger to pedestrians.

I don't think more people should be encouraged to use their bikes to move about town. Our city is not ideal for bicycles, so I disagree with the idea that more people should ride bikes.

Chilli Leung Tze-yin, Pooi To Middle School

From the Editor

Thank you for your letter, Chilli. You are right; Hong Kong is not equipped to handle large numbers of cyclists. Then again, isn't it time we started? It's easy to see that cycling on the island is not a great idea because of the steep inclines. But that makes up a very small part of Hong Kong. As new towns and new estates come up, our city planners should be looking at things like accessibility. They should be thinking about how best to serve the people of that area. They should also be looking at ways to make the city more environmentally friendly.

While it might be true that much of our air pollution comes from the mainland, we cannot deny there are too many vehicles on our roads. It would be a good idea if our public transport was more cycle-friendly. Overseas, many buses carry bike hooks where cyclists can stow their bikes on a long journey.

Susan, Editor