Luang Prabang to lift ban on bicycle and motorbike rentals
Luang Prabang provincial authorities will lift a ban on bicycle and motorbike rentals for tourists in a move to facilitate tourism growth in the World Heritage listed town.
The authorities banned the rentals last year despite complaints by local residents that the ban would present a negative image of the town to tourists.
Luang Prabang Deputy Governor, Mr Khampheng Saysompheng said authorities were drafting a new rule for the management of bicycle and motorbike rental businesses.
Factors to be considered include who will be responsible if a tourist is injured or dies from an accident on a rented vehicle and where tourists should ride and not ride the bikes.
“In my opinion, we should encourage tourists to ride bicycles, not motorbikes, to avoid air pollution and maintain order in the town,” Mr Khampheng said.
“We will try to include the cost of renting a bicycle in room rates for guesthouses and hotels.”
A senior official from Luang Prabang Public Works and Transport Department, Mr Bounkhong Souksavath said the main reason authorities banned the rentals last year was because many accidents involving tourists were occurring.
Some visitors do not have experience riding motorbikes or do not understand the local road rules, causing confusion among other road users.
Moreover, rental businesses park their rental bikes on the edges of roads and on walkways. Another problem is the theft of rental bikes.
Since the beginning of this year, several enterprises have operated rental businesses despite the fact the ban is still in place.
“The owners of those businesses are violating the rules,” Mr Bounkhong said.
“We have not fined them, only educated them, as we understand they are catering to tourist demand. We are planning to ensure they comply with the rules.”
Mr Bounkhong said his department would call a meeting with bike rental businesses and officials from relevant sectors to agree on various measures and requirements needed to operate the businesses.
Under proposed new rules, businesses must ensure they have adequate space to display bikes for rent and must install number plates on all rental bikes.
Several years ago, Luang Prab ang's governor issued an order banning the renting of bicycles and motorbikes in the town, but the command was not strictly enforced due to strong tourist demand for the rentals and the failure of authorities to impose the order. The ban was aimed at encouraging tourists to walk around the town and to avoid traffic accidents.
Luang Prabang became Laos ' first UNESCO listed World Heritage Town in 1995, on the condition that it attempts to preserve its urban environment.
Tourist numbers to the town rise every year, with more than 300,000 people visiting in the 2007-08 fiscal year.
Bicycle is good. Motorbike not good because of pollution and accident prone. Maybe to avoid accident and road congestion why not put up bicycle lanes like in Japan.
Ban on motorbike rental, I do agree , but i dont agree with banning on bicycle rental, my reason is, Motorbike is polluted the city. Luangprabang is not a big city , tourism can ride the bicycle to view and visit around the city, i dont think there s nothing wrong with bicycle. BICYCLE is not polluted and u can exercise as well as walking.
I think it is not fair for foreigners. We should ban luang prabang citizen not to use motocycles as well. Look at the photo below, the local park their vehicles wherever they want, and it makes me eyesores. We should not allow any vehicles to park in front of the restaurant in any times !
Luangprabang is so small and most of tourists can get around by foot. I heard so many cases that the tourists rent a bicycles and skip town shortly after. The business owners have to track down those bicycles.
Luangprabang is so small and most of tourists can get around by foot. I heard so many cases that the tourists rent a bicycles and skip town shortly after. The business owners have to track down those bicycles.
You are right, its small place that you can go around by foot. But remember not all tourist has all the time in the world to walk to different places they think interesting. Bike is the cheapest transport available. Tuktuks charge like taxi to foreigners like me. IF there is no bicycle visiting tourist with limited time might feel short-changed.
Banning may not be the solution, why not designate parking areas for bikes in every so corner and put up bicycle lanes to reduce road accidents. But with the motorcycle, I agree with total ban because it emits a lot of pollution.
