What is the purpose of bicycle holding rails I see on the road side?

A. Bicycle holding rails are U-shaped rails that are placed close to the edge of a path on the approach to an intersection with a road or another path. Its purpose is to provide a support for cyclists to hold onto whilst they await an acceptable break in the conflicting traffic stream.

Holding rails must be placed within easy reach of cyclists, on the left side of the path, to ensure that they:

• enable cyclists to stop without having to dismount or move their feet off the pedals.
• encourage cyclists to stop when appropriate.
• assist the cyclists as they move off, reducing the time spent traveling through an intersection and aiding balance, thus improving safety.
• in addition to other clues, provide a useful warning of the existence of an intersection.