What about bicycle parking?

One of the many items under infrastructure is safe bicycle parking. Foldables might have reduced that pressure had cubicle size not decreased! Fixing the journey to work will be one part of a holistic plan which will require all aspects of a ride to be addressed by comprehensive regulation. Meanwhile, just last week, I heard two people whose workplace will have new buildings talk about incorporating bicycle-friendly facilities within their new designs. In both cases, it was cyclists in these entities which could be tapped on for some practical ideas.

That's because legislation doesn’t require it yet. Heck we don't have a master plan for cycling yet.

Still, from two years ago, Irene Ng hasn’t forgotten about cycling and asks, perhaps too many questions but anyway would not have gotten details in this platform anyway. But we hear that the Ministry of Transport "is studying [the issue] very carefully" as "one of the plans in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint".

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong (Tampines): "Sir, I am encouraged to hear that the Ministry is planning to build more infrastructure as part of its plans to promote environmentally friendly practices in Singapore. Can I ask the Minister whether there are any plans to work with the relevant agencies to make sure that beyond the infrastructure, cycling is also a viable and safe mode of transport? If we want to promote cycling as a green mode of transport, it not only requires infrastructure but it also requires shower rooms in offices, education and enforcement to ensure that cyclists ride safely."

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: "Sir, as mentioned in my earlier reply, the Ministry of Transport (MOT), together with HDB, has a programme to build up the cycling infrastructure. I do not have the details of it, to the extent, as mentioned by the Member, of shower facilities in some of the buildings.

But, certainly, this is being tried out by MOT, together with the various local agencies, to ensure that if the infrastructure is built, the users are responsible and safety is ensured. As you know our roads are already crowded and if we were to build cycling paths within the main roads, there are concerns and issues which we should bear in mind.

But, as I said earlier, this is something which MOT is studying very carefully. This is one of the plans in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint. So we have to test it out and pilot it. But, to a large extent, if you ask me personally, it is about personal behaviour on how we work together as a community, ie, when we use the roads, we use it in a responsible manner."

Read the entire transcript of 'Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim's reply to Parliamentary question on the Singapore Sustainable Blueprint on 11 January 2010.'

You can share your feedback about how to tackle climate change at the NCSS webpage - they want to hear from you.

Interestingly, this evening I also read of New York City's proposal (in line with their 1997 master plan) for the adoption of requirements for indoor, secure, long-term bicycle parking in new multi-family residential, community facility, and commercial buildings:

"Studies and surveys by DCP (The NYC Bicycle Survey, 2007; The State of Cycling in NYC, 2006; Bicycle Parking Needs, 1999) have found that the lack of a safe and secure bicycle parking facility is a leading factor preventing people from cycling to work. In addition, a lack of bicycle storage facilities in residential buildings can make bicycle ownership impractical.

By promoting secure, indoor bicycle parking facilities, this proposal seeks to support ridership throughout the city as well as encourage new cyclists to start riding. The increase of cycling in the city will yield fitness and health benefits for riders as well as the potential benefits of alleviating congestion, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions."

The proposal was adopted in 2009. See Dept of City Planning, NYCLinks

• "What Would Get Americans Biking to Work?" By Tom Vanderbilt. Slate.com, 17 Aug 2009.
• Guidelines at bicyclinginfo.org.