Contribute to the SG Bicycle Parking Project

Colin Leong announced on Love Cycling SG that he "started a Google map of bicycle rack/parking locations because I got frustrated trying to figure out if there are racks near places that I want ride to." Green pins on the map have photos of the parking facility; red pins are either unconfirmed or don't have photos. To contribute to this map by adding locations directly, please email varfie@gmail.com. URL to this map: https://goo.gl/5Kb3DC http://tinyurl.com/sg-bicycleparking also points here.

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.

Multi-level automated bicycle parking in Tokyo

Asia is Green recently highlighted this Youtube clip which shows an automated system grabbing a parked 'gentleman bicycle,' sending it underground to be racked up in a space saving, multi-level bicycle garage, and quickly too!



The clip is on Japanese but from other blogs I gleaned that the garage is apparently located at Tokyo Metro's Kasai Station and can hold 9,400 bicycles. The reporter test recorded the system taking a mere 23 seconds to store a bicycle and this single session use cost 100 yen (S$1.65 / US$1.11) and about US$18 for a season pass.

Danny Cho took a closer look.

The garage apparently costs US$67 million. It is nearly full everyday and ther ehas been a 20% in neighbourhood biking according to the Washington Post report (see below).

See this informative report by Blaine Harden, The Washington Post:



See comments and this link about secure, free bicycle cages in Australia.

Better bicycle parking at MRT stations

MRT stations in Singapore's three main 'bicycle towns' should soon get bicycle parking better than this

The LTA has announced a pilot project to improve bicycle parking at three MRT stations by the 3rd quarter of 2009.

The new parking places will have basic weather protection and will NOT be the current 'wheel-bender' racks. Hooray!

Or maybe I should wait to see the design details before 'hooraying'? The LTA press release is not specific about the precise design of the new parking spots unfortunately. Does anyone know more?

A pilot project will be launched at Pasir Ris, Tampines and Yishun to build additional bicycle parking facilities that have an improved design. These new facilities will be located along the MRT viaducts near the MRT stations in these towns. The new facilities will allow cyclists the flexibility to lock their bicycles either at the frame or at the wheels, compared to the existing design which can be locked only at the wheels. They will also have basic shelters to protect against weather.

By the way, I noticed this item via the LTA's new Public Transport @ SG portal which is well worth a little look.

Letter to Today: "what are we waiting for?"

Pedal Power

Letter from Kelvin Kwan Chee Hong. Today, 04 Jul 2008.

"NO ONE can dispute that the humble bicycle has a role in our transport system, both now and in the future. Thus, I would like to appeal to the Land Transport Authority and the Traffic Police to come up with clear strategies and rules to support this form of transportation, considering the energy crisis and the go-green movement.

For a start, a code for all cyclists using our roads should be immediately made available in booklet form and on the Internet. This would help everyone understand what is required and the penalties they would face, should they flout the laws of the road. Police officers should be seen actively enforcing the rules to inculcate discipline, and over time, achieve high conformance and order.

Surely it goes against existing traffic rules for cyclists to ride on pedestrian paths, but I have noticed that the police generally close one eye where these offenders are concerned. This only emboldens the cyclists, lulling them into believing that they have the right of way. As a result, they speed, ring their bells impatiently at senior citizens and brush against mothers with babies, or pedestrians carrying heavy bags. To make matters worse, these cyclists come from all directions, disregarding basic courtesy.

More and safer parking facilities for bicycles should be provided to stop indiscriminate parking and theft of parts. Where possible, bicycle lanes should be provided and schools should conduct cycling classes to promote good riding habits.

So, what are we waiting for?"

Security guards 'wheelclamp' my bicycle!

Check out the sign on the wall in the photo's background. My bicycle was mistaken for a motorcycle by the over-enthusiastic security staff of Orchard Cineleisure and 'frame-clamped' by their little red cable lock. I guess, they were afraid that I might drag race or drip some motor oil on the granite floor just outside the building ;-). So they locked my bike up.

I did appreciate the added security for my bike, though. It was only the inconvenience of calling the security department to unlock it. They, of course, came in a buddy pair (just in case the hurly-burly biker wanted a rumble!?) and pointed to the "No motorcycle parking sign". I was very amused. Shook their hands. My bike's horsepower has just been upgraded!

The facts of the story: They pointed to the motorbike wheelclamp sign and said "cannot park here." So I said, "cannot park what?" They pointed to the sign and said "bicycle." I asked what the picture was, and one of the security guards said that he will bring a very thick regulations book to prove to me that bicycles and motorcycles were in the same category of vehicles banned from parking at the side of the building. I thanked him and said I wouldn't know how to read it.

You see, the issue was that I cable-locked my bicycle on the "Cineleisure side" of the public/government fence. My tires were touching the granite floor that belongs to Cineleisure. When I said that the fence is a government fence, they said, "then lock it on the grass side." The grass side is state land allocated for the new *scape Youth Hub.

I was wondering what the real difference it would make to the building's facade, since my bike, if locked on the other side of the same part of the fence would still probably lower the status and value of the building with its presence (maybe I should get a Ferrari logo, might work better than my wornout Hercules decals! ;-) )