Opinions and Responses

Regarding the Tamagawa Cycling Road

When I went to Tamagawa with my child, on the way back I stopped at the restroom, and my child was walking alone along the path by the Tamagawa River ahead of me. My child cried, saying they were very scared because a cyclist on the cycling road shouted at them to get out of the way, calling them a nuisance. My child was walking at the edge and was not walking side by side with several others. As a parent, I am filled with sadness wondering why such treatment is given. I have also experienced being verbally abused by cyclists on this path, so I feel like, here we go again.
In the first place, there should be an absolute rule that pedestrians have priority on this road. In fact, it is clearly stated on the Fuchu City side, and it is also clearly written on the road that bicycles should ride slowly along this line.
Honestly, I would like you to stop naming it a cycling road or a bicycle town. It is nothing but a nuisance to the local residents, and I seriously doubt whether attracting cyclists who do not stay overnight has any economic effect. Especially racing bicycles are nothing but weapons. Without clearly stating speed limits or that pedestrians have priority, it is no wonder that cyclists get the wrong idea.
If you call this a bicycle city, could you also put effort into improving manners and thoroughly ensuring understanding of the rules? It will be too late after an accident occurs. Especially in these times when rules for bicycle riding are being strictly penalized, such a loose policy is extremely outdated. Please provide a concrete plan.

Response

Regarding the Tamagawa cycling course within the city, we have received occupancy permission based on the River Act from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and have developed it as a pedestrian and bicycle-only road on the embankment. In fiscal year 2018, it was connected to the Tamagawa cycling course in Kawasaki City.
As the city, due to restrictions under the River Act that make it difficult to widen the road, the width is only about 2.5 meters, and since it connects to the Tamagawa cycling course in Kawasaki City, similarly to Kawasaki City, to ensure the safety of pedestrians sharing the road with bicycles, we ask both pedestrians and bicycles to keep to the left side, rather than pedestrians keeping to the right side as stipulated in Article 10 of the Road Traffic Act, based on the proviso of the same law.
As the city, to promote left-side traffic, we have installed center lines and arrows, and to alert bicycle users that pedestrians have priority, we have placed "Pedestrian Priority" road markings and signs. Furthermore, the city website features the "Tamagawa Cycling Course Traffic Rules."
Going forward, we plan to consider further measures such as increasing the installation of road markings and signs, and working with the Tama Central Police Station to thoroughly promote awareness and understanding of the "Tamagawa Cycling Course Traffic Rules."
Additionally, to avoid any misunderstanding that the "pedestrian and bicycle-only road" is bicycle-priority, the city does not use the term "cycling road."

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