Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    SHENZHEN traffic police caught 2,205 bike violations, including 733 violations involving app-based bikes, in the two days of road checks that ended Wednesday.

    The violations included running red lights, going in the wrong direction, using motor lanes, illegally parking and using fast roads or trunk roads.

    “With the popularity of app-based bikes, more people have started to use bikes to commute, and the violations have also increased,” said a deputy section chief of the road traffic management department of Shenzhen traffic police bureau, surnamed Wang, on Thursday.

    “The popularity of app-based rental bicycles has helped solve last-kilometer commuting problems and helped police tackle illegal e-bike services, but it also creates problems, such as illegal parking and other violations,” Wang said, adding the bureau is working with the Shenzhen Municipal Transport Commission, urban administration and district governments to find solutions for illegal parking and other problems.

    Shenzhen transport commission said Thursday it would designate parking locations for bikes along the roads, and near Metro and bus stations following the guidelines for bicycle parking unveiled at the end of last year.

    App-based bike rental operators are not allowed to occupy road resources to build parking places for bikes but instead should cooperate with property developers or property managements to designate parking locations in residential, business and office areas.

    According to the guidelines published in December, the government will be responsible for the planning and construction of parking facilities, which will mainly be set up near Metro stations and bus stops so commuters can connect with public transport by using bikes. The bikes should leave at least 1.5 meters of open space for pedestrians if they are parked on pedestrian roads, and they shouldn’t obstruct other public or urban facilities.

    Bicycles should be parked at the sides or back of entrances to Metro stations, sides of bus stops or the empty spaces near overpasses, elevated bridges and footbridges. They shouldn’t obstruct footbridges or lanes for the visually impaired. Parking locations shouldn’t be designated within 10 meters of the gates of crowded places such as housing estates, office buildings, industrial parks, hospitals, schools, sports venues or tourism sites.

    App-based bike rental services started in Shenzhen in October and have gained popularity over the past months. So far, there are 120,000 bicycles in the city, and this number is expected to rise to 210,000 before the end of January.