To achieve the promise of the authorities to make the infrastructure for bike owners, representatives of the Vitebsk public took nearly 4 years. Now we have to wait to the promises have been fulfilled. But just as there is great doubt.
The struggle for bikeways and veloparkovki in the regional center in 2011 began Vladimir Romanovich, one of the young Vitebsk lovers of a healthy lifestyle. He initiated "velopokatushki" during which young people not only to ride a bike around the city, but also taking pictures of places inconvenient to move in this transport - for example, high curbs.
"It used to be that if the bike - it is, or a villager, or an athlete. But now the number has increased considerably velolyubiteley, as people want to follow a healthy way of life, not to spoil the environment ... However, those will be a little while people are afraid to leave in the city on a bike because of the fact that you can get into an accident. Therefore, I believe that it is necessary and bikeways, and veloparkovki, and then you can even create a special excursion cycling routes - to the historical places in Vitebsk ", - said Vladimir Romanovich.
Even then, in 2011, the initiative group appealed to the city authorities and the traffic police with their proposals. From the activists of the traffic police heard only words of praise - they say, of course, bike paths - it would be great. And supported the idea of ??the utility, but only in theory: in practice it turned out that the funds for something to paint paint stripes on the sidewalks, in the budget there. If there were - it would be possible to make bike paths without a problem, especially on new streets, wide sidewalks where - for example, on the Avenue of Victory...
On the possibility of the creation of bicycle paths in this prospectus city officials and a group of residents said that in 2015 re-collected signatures for the issue of movement on the bike. May 26 coordinator of the BCD organizing committee Tatsyana Sevyarynets, one of the initiators of the campaign "Vitebsk-cycle paths," on behalf of 159 residents of Vitebsk Email a appeal to the head of the department of transport and communications of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Andrei Gulidina. The appeal was retold long history of "shaking of an thresholds" of state institutions on the organization in Vitebsk bike paths are listed promises had still not fulfilled.
In response, the Acting Head of the Department of housing and communal services of Vitebsk city executive committee was told that the traffic police Internal Affairs of Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee has identified a list of streets on which there is the possibility of creating bicycle paths, combined with sidewalks. Before July 1, it is planned to identify road markings bicycle paths on the sidewalk along the avenue of Victory.
We could celebrate the victory, but the activists have no doubt that the promises will be fulfilled. As early as May, representatives of Vitebsk authorities stated that "bicycle lanes by marking applied to the pavement, it is not possible", as passers-by will be closely...
"We insist on a speedy settlement of the problem. The city it will cost a little blood, and the order and convenience to increase significantly. Finally, the creation of bicycle paths - it is a minimum, which require the authorities to the people themselves, exercising their own initiative to participate in the life of the city, realizing the right to participate in public self-government, taking care of the order, ecology, healthy lifestyle. This is artificially restricted by the local authorities, as in other cities, such problems do not arise. But in Vitebsk struggle for the infrastructure for bike owners took 4 years. And today we have only promises - such as those given to the creation of a barrier-free environment for people with disabilities. However, we see that in fact it is not so "smoothly and evenly," as the official papers. Therefore, we will wait for the promise will come true if city officials and traffic police "- says Tatiana Sevyarynets.
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