Of course I thought about bringing it to Cape Town...for about a millisecond, it just won't work as the traffic will not allow it..oh well, good luck.
******************************************************
A Cape Town entrepreneur has launched a new way to get around the city that is fun, cheap and has a minimal carbon footprint.
Chris Swanepoel, 45, of Durbanville, the man behind the city's new Bike Taxi Service, already provides daily tours around the Waterfront and city centre - but avoids steep hills.
Swanepoel has six cycle rickshaws, which are made up of 18-speed bicycles pulling a small two-seater carriage.
'The trend now is green, environmentally friendly transport'
Swanepoel said the idea for cycle rickshaws came to him four months ago during a visit to a gardening centre. "I saw this old rusty bicycle and the concept just came to me."
He believes the service could also play a role in reducing traffic problems during the 2010 World Cup. "With all the traffic congestion problems, and with 2010 in mind, I thought it was a great idea."
However, before Swanepoel, who is an accredited tour guide for the Western Cape, took to the roads he researched bicycle travel and took his bicycle taxi on a trial run in the city.
"I wanted to see motorists' attitudes towards the bicycle taxi and what would be the best speed for me to travel."
Safety is also a high priority. "I'm going to get some sort of disposable helmet for the passengers," he said.
A welding company in Brackenfell is putting the cycles and the carriages together, and he aims to have 20 bicycle taxis completed by September.
Swanepoel has been operating from the V&A Waterfront for three weeks and said he had been receiving positive responses from motorists and pedestrians alike.
"Besides the customers who walk by and decide to take a ride, a few guest houses in the city have called me to arrange something for their clients.
"My goal is for hotels in the city to rent the bicycles, which can then provide transport for guests. However, I also plan for the cyclists to be trained as tour guides so they can tell their passengers about the city."
He charges R20 per trip.
Although he has paid for the construction of most of the bicycle taxis, his first one was sponsored by a friend, Margaret Stewart.
"The trend now is green, environmentally friendly transport, and we also have 2010 coming up, so the timing is perfect," she said.
Swanepoel added: "This is just a fun, healthy experience and people really enjoy it."
No comments:
Post a Comment