New Australian National Cycling Strategy

Australia has just released a new national cycling strategy - AP-C85/05 : The Australian National Cycling Strategy 2005-2010. See also the Australian Bicycle Council, which is the body which administers the strategy.

Although its draft version was criticised by Australian bicycle advocacy organisations for its lack of firm commitment from governments, it should provide an interesting resource for bicycle transport advocates in Singapore where we are just taking baby steps on policy for bicycles as transport.

For example, check out this below on saving time by cycling!

Three cheers for speed limit enforcement!

Please, please do enforce the speed limits more strictly! This may be an unpopular view, but as a regular bicycle commuter on the roads here in Singapore I am looking forward to much stricter enforcement of the speed limits by the Traffic Police!

Park connectors are all very well but many of us need to cycle on the road and in my opinion one of the most dangerous and unpleasant things about Singapore's roads is the high-speed traffic. Traffic speeds are a key factor in the risk and severity of crashes, especially when they involve pedestrians or cyclists.

So I am happy that there are signs (literally) that stricter enforcement of speed limits is coming soon. I notice that speed limit signs are appearing all over the place. These are the result of a nationwide review of speed limits.

This review came about after motorist complaints when the Traffic Police started to use mobile speed cameras about a year ago to catch speeding motorists on ordinary arterials, such as Upper Bukit Timah Rd (see a series of Straits Times Forum letters in early February 2005). This led to complaints that the speed limits were too low and that they were not clearly sign-posted.

I would have preferred many of the old 50km/h speed limits to remain. But at least, since motorists' complaints having now been addressed, I hope the Traffic Police will soon be strictly enforcing the new speed limits. I also hope that they do so on all roads with speeding problems, and not just a short list of main roads.

I also hope that the needs of cyclists are taken into account in any speed limit reviews.

Park Connector Network Singapore: Status

20051125-NParks-PCN_status.jpg
Originally uploaded by habitatnews.

Status of the NParks Park Connector Networks system in Singapore.

The original image can be downoaded from the NParks Webpage at snipurl.com/parkconn.

Park Connector Network Singapore: NParks vision

20051125-NParks-PCN_vision.jpg
Originally uploaded by habitatnews.

NParks vision of the park connector networks in Singapore. The colours indicate the different loops.

The original image can be downoaded from the NParks Webpage at snipurl.com/parkconn.

Evolution of a BikeTrail

"How does a bike trail evolve? Who were the first bikers to have rode it? What was it like before it became a biketrail? What do you have to do to make it a biketrail? Who maintains these trails? Do we take our trails for granted? How many of these thoughts ever crossed your mind while you're pedaling...

Read: Evolution of a BikeTrail By lingthemerciless. The Adventures of Ling the Merciless, 23 Nov 2005.

Submit feedback on Bicycle policy to MCYS e-Consultation Paper

e-Consultation Paper. Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports: Safety and Health Aspects of Environment, Transport and Housing issues. Target Audience: General Public. Consultation period from 22 Nov 2005 11:00:00 AM to 06 Dec 2005 11:00:00 AM. Status : In Progress.


T5. Bicycle policy neglect is not working
Serious effort is needed to come up with a coherent policy on bicycles. Despite being a small part of our land transport system, bicycles potentially have a useful part to play with low costs and low impacts on others. Much can be done to make cycling safer and more attractive without requiring much space (and even if we build no bicycle lanes). Bicycle safety should be considered in all road designs because even if pavement cycling becomes legal many bicycles will continue to be ridden on roads.


The Physical Development Feedback Group will be presenting the final recommendation paper at the Feedback Unit's Annual Conference for Feedback Groups to be held on 21 Jan 2006.



Link




Thanks to Chu Wa for the alert.



Complete version from the paper:
T5. Bicycle policy neglect is not working
Bicycle safety again hit the news several times in 2005 in embarrassing and tragic ways.
• We lack a coherent policy towards bicycles as a part of the transport system. LTA is the leading land transport policy agency but so far the LTA has seemed reluctant to provide leadership in this area, to take primary responsibility for bicycle policy or to take bicycles seriously in general.
• We suggest that the LTA commission a serious study of the policy options on bicycles. Bicycle policy involves more than ‘bicycle lanes’ and includes software issues of education, enforcement, encouragement as well as engineering (hardware) issues. We still need a coherent policy even if we decide not to encourage bicycles as much as European or Japanese cities do.
• Bicycle use is ignored in transport data collection. Cycling in certain parts of the island (for example, the east and north and in many parks) and for certain purposes (eg trips to MRT and especially for leisure) appears to be increasing but it is difficult to know for sure. We should include bicycles in all travel surveys
• In practice, many bicycle users ride on pavements (which is currently illegal but with the prohibition not enforced) while some use the roads. MP Irene Ng suggested making pavement cycling legal (as in Japan) and the Traffic Police are reviewing this issue. However, even if pavement cycling becomes legal, many bicycles will continue to be ridden on roads (bicycles may appear on any road that is legally open to them).
• Significant aspects of the road network have been designed without apparent awareness that bicycles will be used on them, thus failing to take responsibility for the safety of a group of legitimate road users. LTA’s road design standards should include a statutory requirement for bicycle safety and convenience to be considered in the design or redesign of every road where bicycles are legal to be ridden (even if no special facilities are provided). Examples of dangerous designs include: multiple left turning lanes (especially when one of these allows for both a left turn or to proceed straight); narrow kerb-side lanes; narrow bus lanes; drainage grates running parallel to traffic; slip road designs that encourage high traffic speeds on left turns; multi-lane roundabouts.
• We suggest that the Traffic Police focus limited enforcement resources on those behaviours (both by motor vehicles and bicycle users) that are most dangerous (a bicycle-safety-focused enforcement strategy). Relevant agencies: LTA, MOT, MHA, Traffic Police

NParks' first-ever mountain bike event

"CGW Cyclethon - NParks' first-ever mountain bike event." By N. Sivasothi. Habitatnews, 12 Nov 2005.

A 19+km route took cyclists along the northern edge of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, without infringing core areas of the reserve yet keeping cyclists safe from heavy vehicular traffic.

Part of the route included a new trail created by National Parks Board between Upper Peirce Reservoir Park and Upper Thomson Road on scrubland adjacent to Upper Thomson Road.