Enjoy using bicycles according to each individual's purpose,
and realize a safe, secure, and comfortable cycling environment.
Based on the future vision of the Kyoto Comprehensive Plan, Kyoto Prefecture has set forth the basic philosophy of “creating a safe, secure, and comfortable cycling environment where people can enjoy using bicycles for their own purposes” in order to promote the utilization of bicycles by taking advantage of their potential.
In order to realize this basic philosophy, Kyoto Prefecture will promote measures from the three perspectives of “use,” “create,” and “protect”.
Use
Realization of an environment where everyone can experience the fun and convenience of bicycling
- Bicycles are accessible, convenient, maneuverable, healthy, and environmentally friendly.
- We will promote efforts to use bicycles in a variety of situations, such as communicating the attractiveness of Kyoto Prefecture, improving lifestyles, creating liveliness, revitalizing communities, improving health, and responding to disasters, so that many people can experience the fun and comfort of bicycling.
Main Initiatives
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1Promote cycle tourism to experience history, culture, and nature
- Improvement of cycling environment through public-private partnership
- Conducting sightseeing tours through public-private partnerships
- Creation of new attractions through town center tourism using bicycles
- Promoting local attractions through the use of bicycles
- Consider implementation of cycle train, etc.
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2Promotion of cycle sports
- Organize cycling events, etc.
- Support for the development of the cycling environment
- Promote effective use of existing bicycle race tracks and parks, etc.
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3Promotion of health promotion using bicycles
- Public Relations and Awareness of Health Promotion
- Promoting enjoyable health promotion
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4Promoting Bicycle Mobility
- Transformation of means of transportation (modal shift)
- Move-sharing
- Public Awareness of Bicycle Commuting
- Creating opportunities to become familiar with bicycles
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4Promoting the Use of Bicycles in Times of Disaster
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5Promote a wide variety of bicycles
Create
Realization of a safe and comfortable bicycle environment for everyone
- As opportunities to use bicycles increase, we will ensure the safety of pedestrians and promote the development of a safe and comfortable environment for everyone who uses bicycles.
- In addition, we view bicycles as an important means of urban transportation in the future, and we will strengthen the linkage between public transportation and bicycles, and promote environmental improvements that meet the needs of the community.
Main Initiatives
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1Promotion of planned development of bicycle traffic space
- Promote the development of a plan to promote bicycle utilization
- Development and improvement of bicycle traffic space
- Installation of road signs, road markings and demarcation lines and operation of traffic signals
- Maintenance of multilingual information signs, etc.
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2Enhancement of system for accepting cyclists, cooperation with roadside stations, etc.
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3Ensure space for bicycle traffic by enforcing illegal parking, etc.
- Installation of stop zones and enforcement of illegal parking
- Identification of violating vehicles by parking monitors
- Consideration of removal of parking meters, etc.
- Consideration of parking space for cargo handling, etc.
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4Implementation of comprehensive efforts in coordination with community development
- Promotion of shared bicycles
- Promote bicycle parking according to needs
- Implementation of safety measures through Zone 30 and Zone 30 Plus
Protect
Realization of a bicycle environment in which everyone follows the rules and each other can use bicycles with peace of mind
- Bicycle users range from children to the elderly, and their mobility and usage varies widely. In addition, the number of foreign users has been increasing recently, and new mobility devices have been introduced.
- To ensure that each and every one of us follows the rules and can use bicycles safely and securely with each other, we will promote publicity and awareness, thorough guidance and enforcement, and safety education tailored to the actual conditions of the users.
Main Initiatives
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1Promote the spread of safer bicycles
- Publicity and education leading to the purchase of safer products
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2Promote bicycle inspection and maintenance
- Publicity and education to promote safer bicycle inspection and maintenance
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3Promote safe bicycle use
- Effective publicity and awareness-raising through the use of the Five Laws of Safe Bicycle Use, etc.
- Publicity and awareness raising to increase traffic safety awareness
- Steady operation of the bicycle operator training system
- Improvement of teaching techniques related to traffic safety
- Publicize and raise awareness of the rules of the road in conjunction with the development of bicycle traffic space
- Guidance and awareness-raising by regional traffic safety activity promotion committee members, etc.
- Dealing with Dangerous and Malicious Drivers
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4Enhancement and reinforcement of safe bicycle use according to the actual conditions of users
- Traffic safety education for young children and their parents/guardians
- Traffic safety education at schools, etc.
- Traffic safety education at business sites
- Traffic safety education for the elderly
- Traffic safety education for foreign residents
- Provide traffic safety education for motor vehicle drivers
- Conducted seminars for instructors of traffic safety classes
- Conduct safety inspections around school routes
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5Promote bicycle insurance
- Activities to Promote Bicycle Insurance
Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan- The 2nd Kyoto Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan
In order to address new issues such as reducing the environmental burden through the use of bicycles, maintaining transportation functions in times of disaster, and improving the health of the people, the Law on the Promotion of Bicycle Use (Law No. 113 of 2016) was enacted on May 1, 2017, with the basic principle of contributing to the promotion of public interest by promoting bicycle use and reducing dependence on automobiles in transportation, while ensuring traffic safety. The “Bicycle Utilization Promotion Law” (Law No. 113 of 2016), whose basic principle is to promote the use of bicycles, came into effect on May 1, 2017, and based on Article 9 of the Law, the “Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “National Promotion Plan”), a basic plan for the comprehensive and systematic promotion of measures for the promotion of bicycle utilization, has been established. (hereinafter referred to as the “National Promotion Plan”) was approved by the Cabinet on June 8, 2008.
In Kyoto Prefecture, the “Kyoto Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan” (1st Plan) was formulated in December 2028 based on Article 10 of the Kyoto Bicycle Utilization Law to serve as a guideline for comprehensively and systematically promoting efforts toward regional revitalization through bicycle utilization, both in terms of software and hardware, in cooperation and collaboration among the government, businesses, citizens, and other related parties. In December 2028, we formulated the “Kyoto Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan” (the first plan) based on Article 10 of the Law, which is intended to serve as a guideline for comprehensively and systematically promoting efforts toward regional revitalization through the use of bicycles, from the three perspectives of “Use,” “Create,” and “Protect. The Second Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan, which is the basic plan for promoting bicycle utilization in Japan, was approved by the Cabinet on May 18, 2021, and the Kyoto Prefecture Comprehensive Plan, which clarifies the direction Kyoto Prefecture should take, was revised in December 2022. The Kyoto Prefecture Comprehensive Plan was revised in December 2022 to clarify the direction in which Kyoto Prefecture is headed. In light of the revision of these higher-level plans and recent changes in social conditions, and with an eye on future social trends, the Second Kyoto Bicycle Utilization Promotion Plan has been formulated to further promote the use of bicycles toward the realization of a sustainable society.
1st Plan: formulated in December 2019
2nd Plan: formulated in December 2023