AJMAN // Cycling is expected to increase in popularity in the emirate with the opening of dedicated bike tracks in the soon to open Al Safia park and new Ajman Marina.
The tracks are part of plans by the government of Ajman to encourage people to be more active and improve their health by providing more outdoor spaces for residents and their families to enjoy.
“There are many reasons for providing cycling in the park,” said Ahmed Saif Al Muhiri, director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department. “It is for fun, health, exercise and changing the lifestyle of people [especially those] who suffer from diabetes and obesity.”
Health and physical activity go hand in hand, and one of the best, and simplest, ways to keep fit is by cycling, said Mr Al Muhiri, who added that cycle lanes are also part of Ajman Marina.
The Dh1 million development is the largest tourism project in the emirate and has been designed as a site for sports and entertainment.
Jamal Ali, a 21-year-old Emirati student, said he enjoys riding his bike around his neighbourhood, but he can only use it in cooler weather.
“I use bicycle in my area to move from villa to another, but I just use it in nice weather or at night because in summer time it is too hot to use it.”
Last year Ajman Police launched an initiative to make cyclists more aware of the need to be safe on the roads and visible to drivers, said Maj Saif Al Falasi, head of the traffic and patrol division at Ajman Police.
“We launched in 2014 a campaign entitled ‘Safe Driving for Bicycles’, and we targeted people who use bicycles. The majority of them are from the Asian community. We used to go on patrols to find cyclists and give them a helmet and neon orange jacket to wear at night because it reflects light. We ask them to put neon stickers on bicycles and lights front and back.”
Officers also handed out leaflets in Arabic, English, Urdu and Chinese explaining how cyclists should behave, such as using hand signals to show drivers if they are turning left or right, said Maj Al Falasi, who added that any cyclist who is seen riding dangerously is summoned to a police station and asked to sign a pledge to follow road safety rules.
Maj Al Falasi said the campaign was successful and more cyclists in the emirate are now wearing safety helmets and high visibility jackets.
roueiti@thenational.ae
