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NEW ADDITION ON THE STREETS OF BANJA LUKA: ELECTRIC BICYCLES HAVE ARRIVED

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.

NEW ADDITION ON THE STREETS OF BANJA LUKA: ELECTRIC BICYCLES HAVE ARRIVED
PHOTO: Aleksandar Ćavić

"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.