Tampines Town Hall Forum discusses the pavement cycling trial

Reports are out:

• "Footpath cycling: A happy ending?" By Sheralyn Tay. Today, 09 Jun 2008. (lead story),


• "Tampines considers extending trial to let cyclists share footpath with pedestrians," by Asha Popatlal. Channel News Asia, 08 Jun 2008 and


• "Cyclists-on-footpaths trial may be extended," by Melissa Sim. The Straits Times, 09 Jun 2008.(free story) Study shows Tampines residents quite positive to idea of sharing paths.
  
  A few highlights:
  
  

  "THE year-long trial in Tampines to allow cyclists on footpaths might well be extended. Residents will know the decision in two weeks - be it to extend the trial, to allow cyclists on footpaths or to send them back to the roads.
  
  Speaking at the fourth Tampines Town Hall Forum, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, a Tampines GRC MP, said the Tampines grassroots groups would consult the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Traffic Police, but 'ultimately, whether we proceed or not, depends on the residents'.
  
  He noted that the response to the trial and figures from an evaluation done by an independent consultancy seem to indicate that Tampines residents were 'moderately positive' about cyclists and pedestrians sharing the footpaths.
  
  The trial ended on May 30.
  

  - The Straits Times, 09 Jun 2008.
  
  
  

  "National Development Minister and MP for Tampines GRC, Mah Bow Tan, said, "One day you may be a cyclist, and (on) another (day), you may be pedestrian, so don't think you are in one camp or the other. We are all cyclists or pedestrians at one time or another, and if we all learn to co-exist, we are actually making life more pleasant for ourselves and our families.""

  - Channel News Asia, 08 Jun 2008.
  
  

  "One suggestion from Dr Paul Barter, Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, was to have a"bicycle unit" in the LTA, where there should be a "Mr or Ms Bicycle".
  
  He said in a presentation: "There is no person here to go to in order to get it right." Citing the example of Western Australia, he noted that having a person in charge has improved bicycling habits there.
  
  "Town Councils may not have the resources to find out what to do, but a bicycle unit within the LTA could coordinate such traffic policies," he said."

  - Today, 09 Jun 2008.