Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyerannounced that on June 3, World Bicycle Day, bicycles with two riders are included in the Smart Bicycle Rental System. Saying, “For the first time in Turkey, a municipality carries out such a service for our visually impaired citizens to enjoy cycling," Mayor Soyer used a tandem bike with his visually impaired teammate.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality included tandem bicycles in the Bisim Smart Bicycle Rental System with a ceremony on June 3, World Bicycle Day. In the normalization process after the global epidemic, 70 tandem bicycles were put into service to encourage the use of bicycles. Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer “Tandem bikes will both provide our citizens with a pleasant cycling experience and contribute to the inclusion of our visually impaired citizens in an accessible and unhindered way. For the first time in Turkey, a municipality carries out such a service so that our visually impaired citizens can enjoy cycling as well.”
Speaking at the ceremony held in İnciraltı City Forest, Mayor Soyer spoke about the efforts made to reduce the use of motor vehicles within the framework of sustainable transportation policies: Bicycle rental system of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality BİSİM has a very important place in the formation and spread of bicycle culture in İzmir. Today we have 40 bicycle stations, 810 parking spaces, 550 single bicycles. I can proudly say that since the day it started to serve, BİSİM has reached an unbreakable record with more than 2 million rentals. ”
“There will be a total of 107 kilometers of bicycle path in İzmir”
Noting that the fleet grew for the first time with a tandem bicycle Soyer added to the bike rental system in Turkey, "two pieces at each station to find a tandem bicycle. We plan to increase the number of tandem bicycles even more over time. ” Emphasizing that Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has 2020 new BISIM stations, 10 bicycles and 100 bicycle parking points in the 120 investment plans, Soyer said: “In the coming period, we will establish new BISIM stations in Fahrettin Altay, Mavisehir IZBAN, Bornova Metro, Buca Hasanaga Park. . We will have a wide range of initiatives such as passengers who ride on the ferry with their bikes, free travel, and those who travel with their bikes, receive various discounts from the People's Grocery Store. In the pandemic process, a 40-kilometer bike path planning was planned as 'Reserved Bicycle Routes', 'Shared Bicycle Routes' and 'Bicycle Lanes'. We made the first applications with Şehit Nevres on Plevne Boulevard. The 67-kilometer bike path in İzmir will go up to 107 kilometers, surrounding the Gulf. In addition, we planned plus 103 kilometers in the short term and plus 248 km in the medium and long term. ”
“Bicycle was a dream for me”
After the ceremony, President Soyer rides on a tandem bike with his visually impaired teammate Burcu Yıldız. Yıldız said, “I had been cycling since my childhood, but after losing my eyesight, I had never used a bicycle. When I met Eşpedal Association two years ago, I started using bicycles again with tandem bicycles. "The more widespread the tandem bike, the more we have the opportunity to use the bike."
Visually impaired bicycle lover Neriman Dinçer said, “I have been using bicycles as a copilot in the Espedal Association for two years. It is very nice to have 70 tandem bikes here today. Seeing and visually impaired cycling together and this has a huge impact on our socialization. Tandem bike is a binder. I lost my eyes later. Bicycle was a dream for me. It is a great pleasure for me to meet the Tandem bicycle. Because we cannot use bicycles alone. ”
Soyer, with his colleagues and bicycle lovers, came to the Municipality by pedaling from İnciraltı to Konak due to World Bicycle Day. Participants had a souvenir photo taken in Konak Clock Tower.
Free pre-maintenance service
Due to the World Bicycle Day, many activities will be held throughout the day under the coordination of the Bicycle Transport Development Platform (BUGEP), the Cyclists Cooperative (BİSİKOOP) and the Bicycle Transport Association (BİSUDER). In addition, all day long bicycle users will be able to use all ferry services free of charge without using a transportation card. Gaziemir, Bornova, Güzelbahçe, Karşıyaka In the counties of Konak and Konak, the Shimano service tent, which will be located on the Alsancak beach with contracted bicycle services, will provide free pre-maintenance service to users throughout the day.
World Cycling Day
With the “World Bicycle Day” determined by the decision of the United Nations on April 12, 2018, it is aimed to encourage individuals to be physically active and to raise awareness about bicycles.
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