Following electric scooters, Banja Luka has now introduced electric bicycles for the first time, which will be available to citizens and visitors at multiple locations throughout the city.
"For a long time, we have been working on developing a
new concept of urban mobility, within which, alongside 400 electric scooters,
150 electric bicycles will be available to all citizens and visitors,"
said the Mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković.
He also mentioned that along with the electric bicycles,
several new bike shelters have been installed at various locations across the
city.
"With almost 600 new electric vehicles, new stops, and
several kilometers of bike lanes, we are entering a completely new traffic
reality in our city. Through these measures, we aim to promote alternative
transportation methods to reduce the number of cars, thereby preserving our
environment," emphasized Stanivuković.
The Mayor also stated that active efforts are being made to promote greater use of public transport, highlighting that soon, through new measures, 48,000 retirees will have completely free public transport.
"According to our estimates, out of 48,000 people,
20,000 currently use cars, and we believe that this will increase the number of
those who will opt for alternative transportation. Alongside the series of
measures we are implementing, I am confident that step by step, we will
introduce new habits and thus protect our environment," said Stanivuković.
Operations Manager of the company "Bin Bin,"
Aleksandar Knežić, mentioned that the project of introducing electric bicycles
into traffic has been in the works for a long time and that Banja Luka is the
first city in the country to introduce this form of public transport.
"The introduction of electric bicycles is a significant
benefit for Banja Luka and all its citizens as it will undoubtedly contribute
to reducing traffic congestion. The expansion of bike lanes, implemented by the
City in the past period, significantly facilitates the use of electric
bicycles," explained Knežić.
Knežić clarified that electric bicycles can be rented via
the "Go Sharing" app, where users need to create an account, and the
price is 0.30 KM per minute.
Dragan Kabić from the Center for the Environment stated that the Center has been advocating for the introduction of this system for years, which is why they welcome the realization of this initiative.