The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for bicycle-friendly facilities in road projects to boost safety and promote sustainable transport.
It said bicycle riders are subject to traffic rules and that absence of dedicated lanes exposed cyclists to avoidable risks.
The sector commander for Cross River, Innocent Etuk, made the call yesterday in Calabar in an interview with LEADERSHIP to mark World Bicycle Day.
He said the construction and inclusion of bicycle infrastructure could reduce crashes on roads.
Etuk said that World Bicycle Day is observed annually on June 3 to recognise “the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle which has been in use for two centuries and that is affordable, reliable and environmentally friendly”.
He said bicycles also advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting “healthy living, affordable mobility and environmental sustainability.”
On safety, the commander warned that “the absence of bicycle lanes on many Nigerian roads exposed cyclists to avoidable risks and crashes.”
He urged planners to “design our road infrastructure to accommodate cyclists through dedicated lanes and other safety measures” in line with United Nations recommendations to integrate cycling facilities into construction projects.