Belgrade Could Get Cycling Streets

The City of Belgrade and the Government of Serbia will work on providing citizens with alternative means of transport by introducing the concept of cycling streets, and there are also talks about subsidies for the purchase of bicycles made in Serbia, said the deputy mayor of Belgrade, Goran Vesic.

– There will be several proposals, among others, to amend the Law on Traffic Safety and introduce the concept of a cycling street. We have already prepared several streets for that purpose, one of which is Kneginje Zorke Street. Cyclists will be given advantage in those streets. We will also ask for one-way streets to be two-way streets for cyclists. We are also talking to the Government of Serbia about subsidies for the purchase of bicycles made in Serbia – Vesic said on TV Pink, as reported by Beoinfo.

He said that there were several strong local producers and that this would “help the local industry and at the same time raise the GDP”. At the same time, it would also help more citizens opt for bike riding.

Vesic reminded that there had been two tenders for bicycles in Belgrade, that 150 stations with five to ten bicycles had been defined, but that there had been no response.

– In terms of market attractiveness, Belgrade is behind some other big cities, so there's no one to invest in it – Vesic said.

He added that it had also been discussed what needed to be changed in the tender, which would reopen in 2020.

– The city has long since decided to have bicycle traffic developed. We are cooperating with cycling associations and are strongly supported by the prime minister. That is why I'm certain that we will find good solutions and enable a greater use of bicycles – Vesic emphasized.

He reminded that, at that moment, there were around 103 kilometers of cycling lanes in Belgrade and that 7.7 km was being built.

– The lanes go from the Sava Square to Nemanjina Street and the Belgrade Waterfront. There are also works in Visnjicka Street, Teodora Drajzera Street, Mirijevski Blvd and Mihajla Pupina Blvd. Our urban plans, which were adopted several years ago, envisage around 450 kilometers of cycling lanes, of which 110 kilometers should be completed in the next two and a half years. Last week, I had meetings with cycling associations and with Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, who fully supports such initiatives. She will also meet with them – the deputy mayor said.

Vesic also reminded that in garages such as the one in Ada Ciganlija, “25. maj” and “Obilicev venac” citizens who park there could use bicycles for free.

Grad Beograd

Vlada Republike Srbije

Goran Vesić

cycling streets

Kneginje Zorke Street

cycling lanes

public bike system

subsidies for purchase of bicycles