Summary of a case study published in 2019
In 2012, the city of Bangalore wanted to reverse a decline in cycling. Although cyclists had represented around 16% of all road users in 1981, the rate had declined to 3% by 2011. Citizens expressed interest in cycling but were concerned about road safety, and not without reason: in 2008, 56% of city road fatalities had been among pedestrians and cyclists.
In 2013 Bangalore launched a “Cycle Day” initiative. Road traffic was blocked one Sunday per month for half a day in neighbourhoods across the city, creating a safe space for walking and cycling. Communication campaigns through social media and local organizations encouraged people to use these streets for cycling and walking to local destinations. The aim was to encourage residents to use active transport, but it was also hoped that the street closures would reduce pollution in the immediate area. The popularity of these events grew in terms of frequency and activities, and the events became weekly and were held in multiple locations. Free bikes were provided, cycle events of short distances (3–5km) were organized and other events could take place in the streets such as exercise classes, and games for children.
As the first collaborative approach to an active transport policy in India, Bangalore’s initiative was deeply rooted in community action. The initiative was led by the Bangalore Coalition for Open Streets: a partnership of local government and nongovernmental organizations. Stakeholders believed that community engagement was the key ingredient for social changes in physical activity and hoped that this would encourage future city investment in infrastructure, such as footpaths and cycle lanes.
The city’s Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) set the strategic direction and led coordination with the national government. Various other departments also supported some of the cycle events, including the local Department of Tourism, the State Pollution Control Board, and the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment.1 Civil society organizations also supported the project’s implementation through raising awareness, promoting uptake and fostering community engagement.
Partnership and community engagement have been defining characteristics of the initiative. Communities have been actively engaged in each “Cycle Day”, with local elected representatives and decision-makers involved in the communication campaigns. The initiative has also addressed issues of road safety by engaging with vehicle drivers to highlight their responsibilities in making the streets safe.
The initiative is continuing to scale within Bangalore, and DULT is helping other cities to build similar momentum using local resources and citizen engagement. It is not a traditional policy model, but the collaboration between communities and local authorities is helping policymakers introduce new laws to simultaneously improve road safety and physical activity.