With the aim of making electric bikes affordable for the people, Tehran’s mayor says talks are underway between the municipality and local startups and knowledge-based companies to boost e-bike production.
“Tehran Municipality has opened talks with knowledge-based firms and local companies to design and manufacture e-bikes at affordable prices,” Pirouz Hanachi tells IRNA,
Currently only imported e-bikes are sold in the market which cost 60-120 million rials ($570-$1,140).
The mayor said, “The TM cannot offer loans for buying bicycles. However, it is setting up and expanding docking stations where people can rent bicycles.”
In addition to being cost-efficient, leasing bikes can be a source of income (even though limited) for the municipality. The revenue could also be spent on expanding the interesting scheme.
Several parking stations are operating in central Tehran were regular bikes are leased. Hanachi says, “Docking stations have been set up on Keshavarz Boulevard, Karim Khan Zand Street, and Iranshahr Street in central Tehran” and more will open soon.
“Expanding the public transportation network can help curb air pollution. For this reason improving the subway, taxi and bus networks along with bicycle docking stations has been put high on the municipality agenda.”
Dilapidated Bus Fleet
“Tehran needs at least 3,000 new buses for overhauling the dilapidated public transportation fleet,” Hanachi added.
Hundreds of old and rickety buses work for the capital's public transport system. Peiman Sanandaji, head of Tehran Bus Company, said recently. “At least 11,000 more buses are needed for decent commute.”
Tehran is home to 12 million people and public transport has simply not kept pace with the population explosion despite the fact that many families are leaving the capital as home prices, rents and the cost of living rise as never before.
Sanandaji says, “Tehran’s public transport fleet has 6,200 buses over 60% of which are fit for the scrap yard. Some buses are more than two decades old and have long outlived their usefulness.”
Buses made less than 10 years ago should be checked every six months while older models must get tested every three months to ensure technical conformity. “This is something that seldom happens in the overcrowded capital.”
Almost 3.8 million urban trips, out of 19 million made every day in Tehran, are via public buses. Despite the critical need for buses, most of the big vehicles are old contributing terribly to air pollution, more so in the winter season.
After taking office in December, Hanachi has joined the ‘Car-Free Tuesdays’ campaign introduced in 2016 that encourages Tehranis not to use private vehicles on Tuesdays
Pointing to the state of the national economy Sanandaji says since Iran cannot afford to import new buses, there is little if any hope for renovating the public transport fleet anytime soon.
However, in recent weeks sections of the local press have reported that the government is planning to ease heavy vehicle import restrictions and allow entry of used buses and trucks from overseas.
Car-Free Tuesdays
Hanachi was speaking to IRNA reporters after cycling to work on Tuesday. After taking office in December, he joined the ‘Car Free Tuesdays’ campaign introduced in 2016, which encourages Iranians not to use private vehicles on Tuesdays.
Visibly fed up with the lack of action to curb air pollution, environmentalists in Arak, one of Iran’s eight most polluted metropolises, started the campaign to help raise awareness about the role of the public in reducing air pollution.
While Hanachi’s decision to join the campaign has been commended on more occasions than one, it also has attracted its fair share of criticism.
For instance, former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi has called on him to spend precious time addressing urban ills instead of cycling!
In response, Hanachi has said cycling to work does not take more time compared to other means of transport.
While officials’ joining green campaigns is valued and can contribute to promoting lofty causes, a mayor will eventually be judged on his performance in improving the quality of life of the people his urban management skills.
So far and during his few weeks in office, Hanachi has been able to earn credit and some respect among residents and environmentalists because of his eco-friendly and transparent policies.
Time and his overall performance will tell how he will be remembered in the years to come by Tehran residents long fighting a losing war against the suffocating air pollution, traffic congestion and the monstrous expansion of the overcrowded city in all four directions.
