Singapore needs comprehensive approach to catch up with other cycling cities

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The Republic needs a national commitment to cycling, as well as a comprehensive approach in order to catch up with other cycling cities.

MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng said on Monday (Nov 3) that bicycles now account for about one per cent of trips in Singapore. She said that there is scope to expand this, proposing to increase this to five per cent by 2020.

However, it would require many barriers to be overcome, including improvements needed in infrastructure, legislation and education, said Ms Ng.

In terms of infrastructure, Ms Ng said that a good urban cycling network must consist of measures such as cycling-friendly junctions and streets that are designed to slow down speed of motorists, as well as a coherent policy on shared paths and footpaths.

She said this is because, even if Singapore builds segregated cycle paths with limited space in the country, cyclists will at some point have to go on shared roads and footpaths.

DEDICATED CYCLING PATHS IN HDB TOWNS

Responding to Ms Ng, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim said the Land Transport Authority has constructed off-road, dedicated cycling path networks in seven Housing Development Board (HDB) towns since 2010.

Prof Faishal said the aim is to build cycling path networks in every HDB town by 2030. He added that the Government will look at possibly bringing forward the completion date of these networks. He also said the building of bicycle parking facilities will be ramped up.

Prof Faishal said the Government is committed to making cycling an integral part of living and mobility and will update the national cycling plan even more comprehensively.