The Tehran Inclusive Cycling initiative is the first program in Iran to provide specialized training for older women and people with disabilities in urban cycling.

Objectives:

• Improve social opportunities for older women and people with disabilities by establishing cycling groups and related programs
• Improve physical and mental health
• Reduce the use of private cars by women in daily life
• Increase the number of urban cyclists.

The implementation of this program will achieve the following:

• Build self-confidence in course participants
• Create independence and increase ability of people with disabilities
• Create a positive view for the community towards these target groups
• Encourage other groups and community members to use bicycles
• Take a step towards social and equality for all sections of society
• Increase the number of people with disabilities in cycling training courses over time
• Promotion of the course in the city and on the internet
• Create a database of people who are using this app, so there is an opportunity to create better services for their needs
• Begin physical fitness exercises
• Teach the theory of safety tips in urban cycling
• Practical training in cycling skills
• Assess the knowledge and skills of course participants
• Build teams of participants
• Conduct workshops and events
• Encourage the use of bicycles in daily activities.

After completing the training course, a group for women formed a cycling group and participated in various programs and events.

Cyclists can record the amount of time they cycle and the length of their cycling routes in the Docharkheh (bicycle) application. This application is provided by the Transport and Traffic Organization of Tehran Municipality.
 

The lead agency for the project is the Tehran Municipality with support from the Clean Transportation Systems Development Unit.

The resources required to implement this program are:

• Provision of bicycles, tricycles, and stationary bikes suitable for older women and people with disabilities
• Procurement of cycling safety equipment
• Providing space for training and practice in different seasons of the year
• Human resources for training and support
• Maintenance.

• Increase the ability of older women to form social groups.
• Positive effect on changing the behaviour and attitude of families of people with disabilities towards the use of bicycles as a useful tool in urban transportation.
• Expand the development of cycling as a clean transportation model.
• Improving the physical and mental health of older women and people with disabilities.
• Create self-esteem for older women and people with disabilities and their families.
• After the training course, a number of women have abandoned private cars and use bicycles for commuter travel.

Barriers:

Negative view of society about older woman cycling has been one of the obstacles. Of course, after women learned this skill, society's outlook also began to change.

Families of people with disabilities were cautious about their family member learning these skills from other people with disabilities. After seeing the first learnings they were eager to continue.

At the beginning of this project, some items such as tricycles and safety equipment were not available in the required numbers. After some time, it was provided by the Clean Transportation Systems Development Unit of Tehran Municipality.

Challenges:

• Develop cycling groups to teach older women how to ride
• Promote the profile of people with disabilities in a positive way
• Improve the physical and mental health of older women and people with disabilities with a flow on effect to families.

The project emphasized the collective cooperation of older women and people with disabilities, and one of its main goals was to increase their presence in society. Together, these people have overcome some of the problems they face.

There is no similar example in Iran of holding cycling events for people with disabilities. In recent months, representatives of other districts of Tehran and some cities in the Province have come to study the activities of this project. Currently, several areas in Tehran are holding cycling training courses for older woman and people with disabilities.

A team of city officials from Amsterdam travelled to Iran to learn more about the project.

Tehran Municipality is ready to transfer the experiences of this project to other cities and countries.

News article about the inclusive cycling initaitive of Tehran

Article on Hamshahri online newspaper