Categories: Banking Law and Financing
The past April 2nd, La Gaceta Official Gazette published the Law on Mobility and Cycling Safety, with which the integrated mobility and cyclist’s safety are considered of public interest. Through legislative decree 9960, it seeks to encourage the use of bicycles as a means of transport for work or recreation. This law is part of government efforts to improve road circulation and, also, reduce the emission of pollutants from vehicles.
With this new law, the government also seeks to encourage private companies and local councils to promote the use of bicycles as a means of transportation at a national level.
What benefits brings this new law on Mobility and Cycling Safety?[spacer height=”5px”]
Some of the measures established by the new law on Mobility and Cycling Safety include the opening of tax incentives for companies that develop infrastructure for bicycles or acquire them for the use of their employees or officials, specifically through the deduction of these expenses in their income statements, provided that said companies are up to date in the payment of their tax obligations and with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund.
Also, at a local level, the law provides to the councils the possibility to promote the existence of public bicycle rental systems that respond to the user’s needs in the area, which could be subject to concession agreements.
Is there a State obligation to facilitate the use of bicycles?[spacer height=”5px”]
On the other hand, the law declares cyclist activity of public interest and forces the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) to work on local plans for integrated mobility and cyclist safety. It also establishes that each local government should organize annual activities to learn about possible interventions and projects for the benefit of cyclists, for which technical studies should be considered if they are related to the objectives of the law.
Similarly, it is also required that any new road infrastructure work must keep into account this new law, to improve road conditions; through bicycle lanes, shared lanes, independent sections, pedestrian crossings, speed reduction cushions, transit deviators and parking spaces, among others. It is established that public parking spaces must save a bicycle space for every ten car spaces and that the fee to be charged will be for periods of 15 minutes and not per hour.
What protection is provided to the cyclist while on the road?[spacer height=”5px”]
From now on, to overtake a cyclist on the road, a minimum distance of 1.5 meters must be respected between the vehicle and the bicycle; to perform the maneuver, speed must be decreased, the opposite lane must be invaded partially or completely, as it is done with any other vehicle, always respecting the vertical and horizontal signalling and also when no vehicles are coming from the opposite direction, including pedestrians or cyclists.
Also, the cyclist will have the right to ride along the middle of the lane, like any other vehicle, in order to guarantee its safety. Similarly, cyclists are forbidden from driving on high-speed roads where the minimum speed is equal to or greater than 80 km/h and there aren’t bicycle lanes, in order to safeguard their integrity.
Undoubtedly, we all should follow the new cyclist’s rules on the road, since this new law is seeking greater safety for cyclists, considering their vulnerability on the road.
If you have any questions about this new law or any other legal aspect, do not hesitate to contact us!
