In some European countries, it is completely normal to see more cyclists than motor vehicle drivers on the streets.
The development of cycling infrastructure in our region, however, is a much more complex story.
In practice, different approaches can be seen in the interpretation and implementation of regulations, planning and construction of infrastructure, enforcement of rules, education, prioritisation in traffic planning, or budget allocations, according to the 2020 publication “How to Improve Cycling Traffic in Serbia?”.
So far, the greatest number of kilometres of cycle paths has been built in Belgrade, while cycling is most popular in Šabac, Pirot, Zrenjanin, Kikinda, Sombor, and smaller towns.
On the occasion of European Mobility Week, we inquired into how successful certain cities in Serbia and the region have been in building cycle paths, as well as what cycling in Belgrade looks like. According to Ivan Radulović, Chief Urban Planner of Kragujevac, cycling traffic in the city is completely underdeveloped, with the main problems being heavy traffic, insufficient street width, and a lack of cycle lanes.
“In Kragujevac, there are no continuous cycle paths or lanes within the street network. Moreover, there are no systematic regulatory measures in terms of shared areas for cyclists and pedestrians, or the possibility of using one-way streets for cycling traffic, as is often done worldwide in cities without dedicated cycle lanes or paths. The challenge lies in changing the existing infrastructure and organising space for cyclists in order to encourage greater use of this environmentally friendly mode of transport. According to World Health Organization estimates, the benefits of cycling are four to five times greater than the investment costs,” Radulović told EUpravo Zato. He added that the drafting and adoption of the Kragujevac Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) is currently underway.
“As for cycling infrastructure in planning documents, the valid General Urban Plan (GUP) ‘Kragujevac 2030’, adopted in 2023, foresees the development of a total of 33.7 km of cycling corridors and 25.3 km of cycle paths – in other words, 59 km of first- and second-class cycling routes, which is about 3.5 times more than in the previous GUP ‘Kragujevac 2015’. A revision of all general regulation plans is also in progress to align them with the solutions of the new GUP ‘Kragujevac 2030’.
The planned cycling corridors were defined after analysing who needs cycling infrastructure and why, what obstacles and limitations exist on the city’s street network, and what cyclists’ wishes are... with priority given to ensuring that the cycling corridor runs as continuously and seamlessly as possible.
“These corridors will connect suburban settlements with the city along routes where spatial and technical traffic conditions allow for their implementation. Citizens are certainly interested in this form of transport, and perhaps the best indicator of that is the number of bicycles and electric bicycles sold over the past ten years,” our interviewee stated.
When geography is the biggest problem
That there are many challenges in building infrastructure is also shown by the example of Sarajevo. In this case, geography is the main obstacle. The central parts of the city are located in a valley, while the oldest districts are on the slopes of the surrounding hills.
“For example, in certain parts of the Stari Grad municipality, the cycling infrastructure is interrupted. The City of Sarajevo invests significant funds in continuous improvement and development. In addition, it applies for funds from foreign donors and implements a number of projects aimed at promoting, upgrading, and collecting data relevant for the next steps. For several years now, it has also subsidised the purchase of bicycles, and this year a new measure was introduced – subsidising bicycle repairs,” said Mirela Bilić from the City Service for Sustainable Development for our portal.
She also pointed out that institutions, organisations, and other bodies are invited to take part in Bike-to-Work Day and symbolically reward their employees – a practice already present in some European cities, and a good idea many of our employers could adopt as well.
“If we adapt to cars, we will end up with cars”
The desire to build cycle paths in the Western Balkans is there, but implementation often turns out chaotic.
According to Dragan Kabić from the Centre for the Environment in Banja Luka, the cycling infrastructure is largely fragmented and disconnected.
“If the problems stopped there, they could be resolved. However, a bigger issue arises with new projects which, in trying to increase car traffic flow (the very reason for reduced flow of all other modes of transport), essentially break up the urban fabric, leaving unsafe traffic barriers between neighbourhoods, parts of neighbourhoods, and urban blocks. By this, I mainly mean the construction of a large number of roundabouts on what were once intended as urban transit routes, but are now just regular city streets.
As far as citizens are concerned, there has been a visible increase in the number of cyclists, especially on newer, more organised sections and in better weather conditions. But that tells us two things. First, ‘Build it and they will come’, meaning certain infrastructure attracts users. If we adapt our cities to cars, we will end up with cars. If, however, we build cities around people, with interconnected and safe cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, then we will have pedestrians and cyclists. Second, the bicycle is still largely seen as a means of recreation. Progress has been made, but much more work is needed, from education to infrastructural measures,” Kabić stated.
Nevertheless, Kabić also emphasised that a sort of precedent had been set on the city’s main road, King Petar I Karađorđević Street.
“This street, during its reconstruction and conversion into a one-way route for motor vehicles, was transformed from a four-lane carriageway into a street with cycle lanes on both sides, two lanes for passenger cars, and a yellow lane for public transport. I would point out that this precedent is significant not only for Banja Luka, but also for the wider region,” concluded the interviewee for EUpravo Zato.
And what about cyclists in Belgrade?
In Belgrade, cycling is far from easy, both because of heavy traffic and impatient drivers, and because of the demanding, often hilly terrain. Novi Beograd is therefore the ideal solution, as it is flat and criss-crossed with cycle paths.
What cycling in Belgrade looks like was described to us by Predrag Momčilović, Executive Director of the Centre for Green Policies and an experienced city cyclist.
“I use the bicycle as my primary means of getting around the city, and since I mostly move around the territory of Stari Grad, I must point out that the situation is very poor. Instead of upgrading existing infrastructure and building new, we have a trend of cycle paths being erased, awkward kerbs and other traps being installed for cyclists, pedestrians, and anyone who does not use a car to move through the city. As for the existing paths - the ones that exist are good! Joking aside, even in Novi Beograd and Zemun, where the infrastructure is more developed, it is not at an enviable level and has mostly not been maintained or improved for years. On the other hand, some municipalities, such as Rakovica, do not have a single metre of cycle path. My great wish is for Belgrade to have a cycle path leading to Avala - I think it would mean a lot not only to recreational cyclists but also to people who use bicycles as an everyday means of commuting to work and other destinations. Belgrade also still lacks continuous riverside paths, as they mysteriously disappear in some places, only to reappear in others,” Momčilović said.
How to dare to cycle in traffic chaos?
According to him, attention must also be paid to the culture of traffic, which is at a low level.
“Sometimes it feels as though drivers hate sharing space with other road users. Horns are used far too often, and cars or buses frequently pass illegally close, so close that you feel the draft – which is not pleasant at all,” he added.
When asked what he would recommend to people who cannot bring themselves to cycle in Belgrade, he said:
“It seems scary, because it is scary, but my advice would be to first try on Ada or some other place more adapted to cyclists, or to drop by Critical Mass, a cycling ride organised once a month by friends from Streets for Cyclists.”
The traffic problem in Belgrade cannot be solved with partial solutions but requires systematic attention.
“Our proposals are directed towards the development of urban mobility, above all walking, cycling, and public transport. Instead of abolishing trolleybus services, they should be encouraged, and the same goes for trams and other rail-based transport. The backbone of modern cities is fast rail transport, supported by micromobility and the reduction of car numbers. Unfortunately, the opposite is happening in Belgrade – roads for cars continue to expand while cycle paths are erased, and public transport is being abolished and privatised,” Momčilović concluded.
(EUpravo zato)