Nairobi, 6 November 2014 - UN-Habitat on Wednesday kicked off the bicycle sharing project at the United Nations Complex in Gigiri. The project aims at improving accessibility through cycling and to promote clean mode of transport.

All United Nations staff based in Gigiri and anyone visiting the United Nations compound is encouraged to ‘Pick, Ride and Park’ the bicycles safely in the racks.Speaking at the launch, Mr.Maichael Njonge of Kenya Urban Roads Authority welcomed the UN-Habitat bicycle sharing initiative, “UN-Habitat will go a long way with this initiative and also be able to spread to the residents of Nairobi”.

A representative from an NGO, Sustainable Transport Africa Mr. Nyaga Kebuchi said “People walk long distances to work; such a means of transport would be better solutions to the citizens hence make life easier”.

UN-Habitat and its partner ‘Wheel of Africa’ have provided ten bicycles within the UN-Complex that will see staff and UN visitors access the compound more easily and within a short span of time.

Mr. Bhattacharjee Debasish of UN-Habitat said “Cycling is a healthy, environmental friendly and efficient means of transport. It saves time when used while commuting short distances without any carbon footprints” There are three bicycle racks with a capacity of five bicycles each. The project will run up to December 31 2014. After which lessons learnt will be used in setting up bicycle sharing schemes in Kenyan cities.