– I am not allowed to cycle, because it is too dark and the roads are too thin, says Amalie Hammer Vadla. She is a student at Sjernarøy nursery school. Here, Stavanger municipality has now placed a rack with space for 48 bicycles, at the school with 34 pupils. – I think it’s bullshit, and nonsense. Nobody cycles to school, says student Torleif Helgøy Hetland, clearly upset. Both of them arrived at school in a school bus, a free offer from the municipality. Skoleveien has neither street lights nor sidewalks. Many of the school roads on Sjernarøy are narrow and without street lights. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news Fears bicycle racks will become climbing racks The man who transports the children by bus every morning, Christian Aske, is not impressed with the new installation at the school either. – It’s not exactly the smartest thing they’ve come up with here. Nobody rides a bike, he says. School bus driver Christian Aske says no one on Sjernarøy cycles to school. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news FAU leader at the school, Elin Samuelsen Rødne, describes the school road as follows: – It is dark, winding and unclear. If you hit a car, you have to go into the ditch with both the bike and yourself, she says. The parents want a safer route to school, but for now they have to make do with a bicycle rack. – Everything we can get from the municipality is positive, but then there is this school road on Sjernarøy. It is not exactly durable for cycling, says Samuelsen Rødne and adds: – It will probably be used as a climbing frame, I think. Neither Amalie Hammer Vadla nor Torleif Helgøy Hetland is allowed to cycle to school. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news – We are optimists Stavanger calls itself a cycling city, and has big cycling ambitions. In 2020, Sjernarøy became part of the new Stavanger, and thus the cycling initiative has now reached the small island community. – We are, after all, optimists, and are betting that we can get bikes here in a few years. I think of it as a hope for the future, but the whole thing sounds like bullshit, says head of environment and development in Stavanger municipality, Rune Askeland (MDG). Head of environment and development in Stavanger municipality, Rune Askeland (MDG). Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news Bicycle parking is part of an upgrade of the outdoor area at the youth center on Sjernarøy. – The racks cost under NOK 100,000, so it is a small cost in a major upgrade that is now taking place, says project manager in Stavanger municipality, Kine Krogh Olesen. She also hopes that Sjernarøy will eventually have better conditions for cyclists. The county is responsible for the winding roads. A large fence has been erected in front of the bicycle parking lot on Sjernarøy. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news Now the municipal politicians hope that the county politicians will be inspired by the bicycle parking. – All school roads must be safe. This is clearly a task for those elected to the county council. They must take care of the county roads, and ensure that they are good enough for cycling and walking to school. But the way the road looks now, there are no students coming cycling along the narrow road any time soon. – It will be exciting to see if the bike racks are used diligently, concludes the FAU leader. FAU manager at Sjernarøy, Elin Samuelsen Rødne, counts bicycle racks that will not be used. Will not be prioritized Ole Ueland (H) is head of the transport committee in Rogaland county municipality. – Now the municipality has established a bicycle rack. This has been done in full knowledge that there are no planned improvements on the section leading to the school, he says. Ueland acknowledges that there is a need for better roads if pupils are to be able to cycle to school in a safe manner. – We are very concerned about traffic safety in the county, but this stretch in particular has not reached our priorities, says Ueland. Ole Ueland (H) is head of the transport committee in Rogaland county municipality. Photo: Høyre He points out that Stavanger municipality can apply for traffic safety measures such as point lighting and transitions. But in the action plan for transport in Rogaland, which lasts until 2030, no money has been set aside for a major upgrade on the stretch. – It is in our strategy that we must prioritize the municipalities that do not have the kind of income that Stavanger Municipality receives, including for the urban environment package. He points out that the municipality can apply to have the speed limit reduced. – If there is a desire for it, I encourage the school or the municipality to submit proposals for it to us.
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At Sjernarøy in Stavanger, the school got a new bike rack, but no one is allowed to use it – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
