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.

Mass cycling events in 2015

These are the bicycle events that I know of so far this year. Do drop a comment if you know of  others which are suitable for recreational cyclists.

1. NTU Bike Rally by NTU Sport Club, 08 Mar 2015 [registration closed; bikerally.ntusportsclub.sg]
2. (Re)Cycle 350, World Water Day 21 Mar 2015 [registration open; cycle350.peatix.com]
3. Cycle Asia Singapore, by Spectrum Worldwide, 10-12 Apr 2015 [registration open; http://www.cycleasia.com/singapore]; next year?
4. Aidha Tour de Singapore fund raising ride for domestic workers , 10 May 2015 [http://aidhatourdesingapore.squarespace.com/aidha-tour-de-singapore]
5. Ride of Silence, 24 May 2015; a commemorative ride for fallen cyclists [fb.com/rideofsilencesg; see this blogpost from 2009; http://rideofsilencesg2015.peatix.com/]
6. Heart of Courage, 20 Jun 2015; Teen Challenge (Singapore)'s first charity cycling event and fundraiser for DARE Centre [registration open; tc-heart-of-courage.org, facebook]
7. OCBC Cycle, by OCBC, 29-30 Aug 2015 [registration opens on 09 March 2015; ocbccycle.com]
8. Seen and Be Seen, a safe cycling campaign [seeabseen.com] - ?Sep 2015

No Speeding (cyclists) and No Motorised Vehicles banner campaign in PCNs

The Park Connector Network guides on the NParks webpage state that cyclists should "Keep within the speed limit of 15km/h".

Now there are banners along several NParks' PCNs with two messages, "No Speeding" with a bicycle icon and "No Motorised Vehicles". They were observed along the Changi Coastal, ECP, and Kallang-Bishan park connectors this week.

Widespread and numerous along each of the PCNc, their appearance is the equivalent of a campaign. Good surfaces and greater connectivity have put more and faster moving cyclists on the shared path of our PCNs which also see walkers, joggers, children and skaters.

Lack of a specific figure suggests the advise may be about relative speed, which would be slower than 15km/h on crowded portions of the PCN and faster on empty stretches.

Cyclists are the fastest and heaviest objects on the PCNs. They should thus take the greatest care and look out for others users, the way we hope motorists behave towards us, on the road.

First published on Otterman speaks...

Ride alongside some of the world’s top professional cyclists at the OCBC Parade of Hope charity ride

Ride alongside some of the world’s top professional cyclists on the opening night of OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 at The Parade of Hope. The Parade of Hope is a leisurely 20-minute ride around the F1 Pit Building designed to raise funds and awareness for the event’s four official charities:

• Dover Park Hospice,
• Singapore Children’s Society,
• SingHealth Transplant TRUEfund, and
• the SportCares Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Singapore Sports Council.

A selection of the world’s elite cyclists taking part in the Professional Criterium will lead out the group, alongside Team Singapore cyclists Ho Jun Rong, Benedict Lee, Noel Teh and Travis Woodford, as well as sprinter Gary Yeo. Limited slots have now been opened to the public, with each individual entry fee of $10 donated directly to the four charities. Registration for The Parade of Hope ends on Wed 26 March 2014 or when the ride category reaches maximum capacity. Register here.

Wheels of Time exhibition and the Pop Up Store, at the OCBC Centre 10-24 Mar 2014

In the run up to the OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014, an OCBC Cycle Singapore Pop-Up Store and Wheels of Time bicycle exhibition has been set up at the OCBC Centre. Eight iconic bicycles reflect on the evolution of cycling and culture across time at the OCBC Centre Main Branch, 65 Chulia Street, Singapore 049513. Visit from Mondays to Fridays: 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Thanks to Julian Lim, OCBC for the photos. At the "Pop-up store" over the next 2 weeks: 17 to 21 March: The Urban Chic YikeBike by evHUB.

"The radically designed YikeBike aims to be an alternative urban transport solution. The handlebars are positioned behind the rider, below the seat. Some users enjoy its openness and great visbility; others cannot get used to the absence of a handlebar in front of them. Find out how you fare on this modern version of the Penny-farthing. OCBC Card-members get up to 15% off for YikeBike and other accessories. YikeBike photo contest – upload your photo to Instagram or Facebook with hashtag #OCBCCards – and stand a chance to win an mPowerPad Plus 2 (worth $169)! Remember to make your profile and post public. You can’t be in the running if we can’t find you!"

  24 to 28 March: Cycling Gets Serious by Integrated Riding

"Integrated Riding will bring in elite, high-performance brands like Boardman Bikes, along with a range of accessories to help you clock a personal best at OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014. For bicycles and other accessories, OCBC Cardmembers get 10% off. If you are a OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 participant, flash your Confirmation Email and get a free Electron Milli USB Bike Light worth $36. Limited to first 50 participants."

"That last leg can kill you" / Make Clementi the next cycling town - in my lifetime please

See the URA Draft Master Plan 2013: "Cycling For All"

Kevin Lam Koi Yau wrote to The Straits Times Forum page (17 Mar 2014) to say,

Make Clementi the next cycling town

It is a good idea to promote intra-town cycling in selected Housing Board towns. But I am disappointed that Clementi has not been selected among the latest batch of cycling towns.

With its close proximity to the Ulu Pandan park connector - which links with the Jurong park connector, Bukit Batok Nature Park, International Business Park, Dover MRT and Boon Lay MRT - and schools such as the National University of Singapore, Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Clementi could benefit greatly from a well-thought-out cycling infrastructure, which could ease public transport woes during peak hours as well as get our young people to adopt an active lifestyle.

An avid cyclist once told me not to commute to NUS for work, though I live in Clementi, as there are no safe routes.

I urge the Land Transport Authority to consider investing in cycling infrastructure in Clementi to boost safety for cyclists and get more people to take up cycling.

Click for a larger map

That last leg can kill you

Kevin reminded me I am that cyclist who told him not to cycle to NUS. And my advice still holds. There is a great improvement in connectivity in the area compared to the eighties, carved out mostly by NParks' Park Connector Network and enhance by the Rail Corridor which we all hope is here to stay.

While there is a decent connectivity, that last leg can kill you! Approaching NUS via Clementi Road or South Buona Vista is harzadous. This is not recommended for a daily commute.

NUS' U Town has now opened up a pavement route alongside Clementi Road if you are using the Ulu Pandan Park Connector. It is not a fast route, but a relatively safe one. But this will not encourage commuting in an area filled with potential cycling commuters, parking and shower facilities. I have shared these ideas with URA through the National Cycling Plan dialogue but I do think this area is a tough one to begin a cycling infrastructure enhancement project. Not a low hanging fruit.

Still, the Clementi - NUS - Holland Village area needs a makeover. The problems in this area exceed cycling infrastructure for sure. Still, one relief to the daily congestion would be by facilitating cycling.

Will the National Cycling Plan come to town, and in my lifetime, please?

---

URA Draft Master Plan 2013: National Cycling Plan

Intra-Town Cycling Paths - All Towns To Be Cycling Towns

Off-road intra-town cycling paths will allow residents to cycle safely from their homes to major transport hubs and key amenities such as food centres, schools, supermarkets and community centres within the town.

By 2015, 100 km of intra-town cycling paths will have been developed in several cycling towns [Tampines, Sembawang, Bedok, Changi-Simei, Pasir Ris, Taman Jurong, Yishun, East Coast, Jurong Lake District, Marina Bay and Punggol]

.

Another 90 km of cycling paths will be added to more towns by 2020. The aim is to provide all 26 HDB towns across Singapore with comprehensive intra-town cycling networks for residents to cycle to and from MRT stations and neighbourhood centres.

Your Views Wanted

Are you a bicycle user? Do you care about breathing clean air while you are out there on the roads?

Then please take this quick survey.

It is from researchers Chris Zegras and Amalia Holub of the Future Urban Mobility project under MIT's SMART Centre in Singapore.

Why should you bother? 

This research project focuses on a proposal to use portable monitors to gather air quality data as people move around the city. This would generate data for an open local air quality map.

The team has already tested portable particle counting monitors in Singapore and Mexico City. The next phase includes this web survey of cycling communities in several cities.

So, what are you waiting for? Please take the survey!

Cyclists be warned: heavy traffic on Changi Coast Road & Loyang Ave, 11-16 Feb 2014

SPF have written to SCF to alert cyclists about heavy traffic on Changi Coast Road and on other roads approaching Changi Village, between 11-16 Feb 2014.

URA's Draft Master Plan 2013: National Cycling Plan - "Cycling for All"

Unveiled on 20 November 2013, the URA Draft Master Plan has six key focuses. Transport is a key focus and identifies these issues:

1. Transport And Connectivity
2. Doubling The Rail Network
3. Enhancing Bus Services
4. Reducing Car Usage
5. Cycling For All
6. Creating Walkable Places

"Cycling for All" outlines the National Cycling Plan. Read at http://www.ura.gov.sg/MS/DMP2013/key-focuses/transport/cycling-for-all.aspx

Singapore still lacks the ride stuff

By Toh Yong Chuan Senior Correspondent
Straits Time 2013-11-09

More than 500 cities in the world have bicycle-sharing schemes. Singapore is not among them.

Although the Government announced bold plans last month to build a staggering 700km of cycling paths by 2030 - the equivalent of cycling from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and back - that alone will not make Singapore a cycling city.

We have fallen behind other cities that actively promote cycling as a mode of transport. There are various reasons why we should pedal hard to catch up.

Cycling is a green option that can be an efficient people-mover for transport planners.

A cycling census in London this year found that one in four road users in the morning peak period is a cyclist. For some popular roads, as many as three in five vehicles in the morning rush hour were bikes.

Bikes take up proportionately less road space than cars. Given that the road network here cannot expand indefinitely, cycling paths provide a logical option even as we expand our train and public bus networks.

Cycling also encourages interaction and it can be a social leveller. Cars cocoon drivers and disconnect them from other road users. In contrast, there are no physical barriers between cyclists and they have to share space.

I was part of a three-man reporting team that rode some 180km of park connectors last month to explore whether they could be used for daily commute.

At the Kallang Park Connector, a cyclist on an Italian Colnago bike, which costs thousands of dollars, stopped to ask whether we were lost. It did not matter to him that our bikes cost a fraction of his. I wonder how many BMW and Mercedes-Benz drivers will stop and help a Toyota Corolla driver with directions.

The Government used to be lukewarm towards cycling. Small pockets of cyclists have lobbied for dedicated bike lanes on the roads but their calls were repeatedly rejected by the Government, citing space constraints. Tampines is the closest Singapore came to a cycling city.

But there was a change of heart this year. We are still not getting bike lanes on the roads, but the 700km of cycling paths will connect the whole island and all HDB towns will have a network of dedicated paths to MRT stations.

The Government is even exploring automated underground parking for bikes.

The hot and wet weather here makes cycling unattractive. While we cannot control the weather, there are four steps that we can take - besides building infrastructure - to promote the use of two-wheelers as a mode of transport.

First, we can re-introduce bicycle-sharing. This is not a new concept. The biggest community bicycle scheme is in Hangzhou, China, with over 60,000 bikes; the newcomer is Citi Bike in New York City that was launched in May, and Copenhagen is set to launch the world's most high-tech system this month with its bicycles fitted with onboard computers.

Insurer NTUC Income wheeled out a bike-sharing programme at four housing estates in 2004, but it folded in 2008.

There will be no lack of options should Singapore decide to take another crack at bike-sharing. Other cities have roped in advertising companies, banks and public transport operators. We have the benefit of learning from them.

Second, the current rules that restrict bikes in trains and buses should be relaxed. Folding bikes have been allowed on MRT trains and buses since 2008, but response has been poor because of restrictions.

The limitation on size can stay, but the bikes should be allowed on trains earlier, say before the 7.30am rush hour. The earliest they are allowed on trains now is 9.30am, well past the time most workers have to clock in for work.

And more than one bike should be allowed on each public bus at any one time, since there are some folding bikes that do not take up more than one person's standing room.

Third, school and premises owners should cater to students or workers who commute by bicycle by providing parking spaces or shower rooms.

This week, I saw half a dozen bikes chained to railings outside a primary school in Sengkang. I asked a security guard why the pupils could not park their bikes in the school compound. He shrugged his shoulders: "Have to talk to the principal."

Such attitudes should change.

Lastly, it is unclear which government agency spearheads the cycling policy in Singapore. National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan is a known cycling enthusiast.

Three statutory boards - the Land Transport Authority, which plans public roads, town-planner Urban Redevelopment Authority and the National Parks Board, which builds park connectors - and at least three ministries - the National Development, Transport and Finance ministries - have stakes in the cycling policy.

While the much-touted "whole of government" approach to policies should largely see the cycling policy through, small cracks are already showing.

For example, there is no consistency in how overhead bridges are designed or built. Some do not even have ramps and cyclists have to haul their bikes up and down steps. There are also eyesores at some sections of the park connectors. At the Pelton Park Connector, the fresh coats of paint stop abruptly at a rusty old pedestrian bridge that was built at least four decades ago by the now-defunct Public Works Department. NParks could not refurbish the old bridge as it does not own it.

Besides coordinating government agencies, perhaps we can also take a leaf from London, which appointed a "cycling commissioner" this year to be an advocate for cyclists as the city plans cycling policies and programmes. We do not need to copy the idea, but there is no harm for the Government to step up its engagement with cycling enthusiasts as it expands the cycling infrastructure.

These steps, taken together with the expansion in cycling infrastructure, give us a good shot at making Singapore a cycling city. It will help us pedal into the league of self-respecting modern cities that promote cycling for commute because it is green, efficient and a social leveller.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

Cycling in Singapore is evolving, so expect joy and expect growing pains!

I looked back to a blog post from ten years ago and it is a fascinating read - "Thoughts about cycling in Singapore".

The important issue though is, how much has changed since?

Well in the past year, so many things have happened in the cycling scene in Singapore and the number of announcements, news items and discussions have far outpaced my ability to keep this ten-year old blog updated!

Stakeholders have been meeting with URA and LTA, sounding out suggestions, consulting on routes and even going on bicycle rides! In a very short time, advocates for cycling as an integral part of city life have become a united group, whether in government or from the ground.

The mission? Introduce, change and improve infrastructure, culture, mindset about cycling as a way of life and be a natural evolution from modern Singapore's foundation as a garden city. Also, we need to teach a lost generation how to ride a bicycle!

Suddenly, many things seem possible. And the people involved are not idealistic, some changes we will happily see now, others we know will only happen in a very distant future - so much so one person hoped he could enjoy some of that change before dying!

Many stakeholders have been advocates for a couple of decades, from their far-seeing conviction of what could be possible in Singapore. Some have been fuelled by their experiences overseas, themselves the fruit of a long, arduous journey involving many groups.

The hurry to appreciate better cycling possibilities hit a hard wall for a long time, with arguments dismissed with the suggestion it was too sweaty to cycle to work. Many believed the dismissal, not having tried mounting a saddle to appreciate the freedom it offered, or discovered the possibilities and joy of cycling to work.

As we grew more urbanised, as foldable bikes flooded the island, as some part of the island were liberated, as we discovered safe short routes at our doorstep, and as people travelled to other cities and experienced the fruits of their efforts and thought about the sort of city we were becoming, as we yearned for ways to liberate our minds from the intensity of city living as all this and more happened, the inevitable happened. The nonsensical suggestions of the past became serious considerations and efforts behind the scenes have begun to be expressed.

At a meeting at the Urban Redevelopment Authority between staff from URA, LTA and stakeholders, some had expected an angry conversation. Instead it was simply fruitful.

Participants found themselves in a conversation with government officers who were familiar with the fundamentals. The group recognised and appreciated experienced suggestions and technical ideas. The focus was very quickly orientated towards the challenges of our inherited infrastructure, attitudes honed by our history and expectations (or lack of) and then on to practical solutions for the short and long-term.

This is the way change often takes place, gradually, over more than a decade!

And this will not be fast enough for some. And there will be growing pains.

The old debates will the resuscitated repeatedly and discussed, often without inheriting the wisdom of the past. Self-serving perspectives will surface noisily - these motorists, cyclists and even pedestrians will argue from a lack of holistic vision or sadly, just selfishness. But I am convinced from public engagements that these are NOT the views of the majority.

I have also been fortunate to experience those who have a vision of a city with considerateness for all users, and these will move the debate towards holistic solutions.

These people inspire, encourage and motivate, and they include folk from all walks of life, civil servants, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. They give me hope for any and all of the challenges we will face in Singapore.

I have a dream for Singapore: Fewer cars, fewer roads - Kishore Mahbubani

Fewer cars, fewer roads

By Kishore Mahbubani, for The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2013, by invitation http://www.straitstimes.com/st/print/1507520

A FEW weeks ago, on Aug 28, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the famous speech given by Martin Luther King Jr entitled "I have a dream". He said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character."

The goal of his speech was to open the roads to advancement for his fellow black citizens. I too have a dream for my fellow Singaporeans. However, while the goal of his speech was to open the roads to advancement, my goal is to close the roads to advancement for my fellow citizens. The only difference between him and me is that while he was speaking metaphorically, I am speaking literally. We do not need many more physical roads or much more physical road space in Singapore.

One undeniable hard truth of Singapore is that we live in one of the smallest countries in the world. This is also why we have one of the most expensive land costs in the entire world. Apart from Monaco, no other United Nations member state has land as expensive as Singapore has per square foot. Hence, we should value every square foot. Every square foot we give up to road space is a square foot taken away from other valuable uses: pedestrian walkways, bike paths, green parks and so on.

To be fair to our road planners, they are caught in a bind because Singapore is continuing to grow its population of cars. If we expand the number of cars, we have no choice but to expand the amount of roads to carry more cars. So the real solution is to reduce the demand for more cars in Singapore. How do we do this?

The problem here is that a car remains an essential part of the Singapore dream. Yet, if every Singaporean achieves his or her dream, we will get a national nightmare. To prevent this national nightmare from happening, we have created harsh policies to raise prices and reduce the demand for cars.

Status symbols

PARADOXICALLY, the high prices of cars have made them even more desirable as status symbols. This is why luxury brands trump cheap brands in Singapore sales. If the desirability of cars keeps rising, our efforts to curtail car ownership will be as successful as a dog chasing its tail.

So what is the alternative solution? The solution is obvious: Change the Singapore dream!

Yes, almost every Singaporean reading this article will laugh out loud at this suggestion. How can any well-off Singaporean deprive himself of a car? It serves as the most reliable form of transportation as well as a powerful status symbol. The minute you own a car, especially a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Lexus, your friends know that you have arrived.

But for 10 years of my life, I have actually lived on another even more crowded tiny island where it is not rational to own a car. In fact, it is considered downright stupid to buy and own a car if you live in Manhattan. All this came home clearly to me one evening in Manhattan when I saw the former chairman of Citibank, Mr Walter Wriston, and his wife Kathryn standing on First Avenue with their arms raised and trying to hail a cab.

Clearly, Mr Wriston was then one of the richest men on our planet. He could have easily bought a car in Manhattan. Yet, it just did not make sense.

The eco-system of public transport that Manhattan had created with a combination of subway trains, public buses and readily accessible taxis meant that in a crunch you could get anywhere in Manhattan using public transport.

More significantly, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another clearly very rich man, used to take a subway train to work in Manhattan.

The former mayor of Colombian capital Bogota, Mr Enrique Penalosa, put it very well when he said: "A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation."

I have been to Bogota. When I visited it in 1992, the city was so unsafe that I was given a private bodyguard to walk down its equivalent of Orchard Road. Mr Penalosa transformed the city so much that Latino Fox News described him as "one of the world's pre- eminent minds on making modern cities more liveable."

Mr Penalosa is quoted as saying: "When we talk about car-free cities, we're not talking about some hippie dream. Not only do they exist, but they also are the most successful cities on the planet. The ones where the real estate is the most valuable, the ones that attract most tourists, the most investment, the ones that generate the most creative industries."

There was a time when Singapore's experiments in improving its urban environment would get global attention. Today, it is a man like Mr Penalosa, with bigger dreams than our dreams, who is described by Latino Fox News as a man whose "work and ideas have gained him international attention and a loyal fan base that includes New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg".

Mr Paul Steely White, executive director of New York City's Transportation Alternatives, has also said about New York City that "the way the streets of the greatest city in the world are being used is changing fundamentally… People are beginning to understand that it's entirely possible and really very desirable to lead a life without being tethered to an automobile".

We therefore have to replace the Singapore dream with the Manhattan or Bogota dream.

We have to give up this insane dream of owning a car and replace it with an ecosystem of a public transport system that makes it irrational to own a car.

Singapore's failure

AND this is probably one of Singapore's biggest failures in its first 50 years: We have failed to develop a world-class ecosystem of public transport. We do have a good public transport network, but this has not kept pace with the population's expectations, which include a more reliable MRT system with fewer breakdowns, predictable bus services, taxis available in thundery showers, and pools of electric cars for ready rental.

So why did we fail? The answers must be complex. But one fundamental error could be simple. We expected every artery of this ecosystem to be financially viable. The disastrous result of looking at each artery and not looking at the ecosystem as a whole is that while each artery made sense in isolation, the combination did not result in a good ecosystem. Even more dangerously, by looking at each unit in isolation, we did not consider its impact on the island or the nation as a whole.

Let me give a specific example from the area of expanding road space. Many Singaporeans of my generation are still puzzled that the road planners of Singapore destroyed our precious National Library on Stamford Road to build a little tunnel under Fort Canning to save two minutes of driving time. The road planners who designed this tunnel had no idea that they were effectively shooting a bullet through the soul of Singapore by destroying the National Library.

This is why we have to be fair to our road planners. The only key performance indicator (KPI) given to them is to make traffic flow smoothly. With this KPI, it is logical to build more roads or expand road space. Hence, it was perfectly natural for our road planners to announce recently that Clementi Road and the Pan-Island Expressway would be expanded. I am sure many motorists who use that stretch of road daily will approve. But when do we say that enough is enough?

This is why we need a new dream. Does this mean Singaporeans will stop driving cars?

Absolutely not. My dream is to walk out of my house, use a smart card to pick up an electric car on rent and drive it anywhere I want to. We can replace car ownership with car pools. In fact, other cities have begun trying this. In Vauban, a suburb of Freiburg, Germany, 70 per cent of residents choose to live without private cars due to excellent city planning and a car sharing system. Before you scoff at electric cars, let me tell you that electric cars have faster torque than petrol-driven cars.

In short, we can have an alternative dream for Singapore. Let us dream of an island with fewer cars and fewer roads. It will be closer to being paradise on earth. stopinion@sph.com.sg The writer is dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

"Stop the killing on the roads" - Editorial, The Straits Times

"Stop the killing on the roads," editorial in The Straits Times, 13 May 2013.

"AT LEAST three people here come to an untimely end on the roads every week. Three cyclists died recently in as many days. A professor's wife lost her life under a double-decker bus. Two young brothers were killed when a cement mixer ran over them while they were cycling. They made the news; many others did not. All of the deaths were tragic. They were both needless and avoidable.

With over 965,000 vehicles and millions of pedestrians and cyclists jostling on the roads in a land-scarce city, to flout the rules, act inconsiderately or push one's luck is to court disaster. There were 327,503 traffic violations last year, many of which had the potential of causing more harm than what transpired. It is safe to assume that hundreds of thousands of other illegal and dangerous acts escaped detection. Law enforcers cannot be everywhere and, like street cameras, can pose only a deterrent effect. Saving lives will call for preventive action undertaken by all. Instead of playing a cat-and-mouse game while cutting corners to gain a dubious advantage on the roads, all road users need to take personal responsibility for the safety of not just themselves but also other road users.

Fostering such a road culture will take time but is well worth the effort as safety consciousness paired with graciousness on the streets can palpably transform the daily experience of people on the move. The Traffic Police's plan to reward deserving drivers, as part of the Safer Roads Singapore movement, can help to promote good habits. Civic groups should assist by reaching out to other road users as well - cyclists, young pedestrians, the elderly, and foreign workers (particularly those from teeming cities with hell-bent motorists).

Heavy vehicles continue to deserve more attention because their drivers, in an elevated position, have to cope with blind spots and comparatively reduced manoeuvrability. Other road users often do not make enough allowance for such limitations and take their chances. Involved in 10 fatalities in the first three months of this year, drivers of these behemoths have to be dealt with firmly when they are caught speeding.

Apart from "enforcement, engagement and education" strategies, it is prudent to also closely study "black spots" where accidents tend to occur more frequently. Road engineering, markings, signage and competing traffic flows might be hazardous in one way or another. Improving traffic management at certain busy junctions should also be considered. In the end though, the roads are only as safe as the people who use it. There is no use pointing fingers. Motorists, cyclists, pedestrians - all - must play their part."

SG Cyclists, the Inclusive Cycling Community

We'd love Singapore to be really bicycle friendly. We're a long way off but things have improved.

"SG Cyclists, the Inclusive Cycling Community" is a Facebook page run by a Mountain Biker, a Road Cyclist, a Triathlete, and a Fashion Stylist!

They are a shy bunch who ride two to three times a week, and no names for now, just judge them by what they do. I'm already recommending fb.com/SGCyclists to newbies and oldies alike.

Why? I love their humour, helpful advise, suggestions and facts. In your facebook feed, you'll be urged to get off your butt to ride, be informed about the right way to wear a helmet, careful to check your lights on a Wednesday evening ride, be alert about haze and lightning, remember our fallen cyclists and measures to be safe and ways to enjoy your ride.

These are great messages to be reminded of and share with friends you might have just nudged on to a saddle - you need not ride alone!

One morning I shared the helmet graphic with some green friends who have a tendency to point their visors to space! A helpful and effortless reminder before their next ride.

The founder of SG Cyclists almost lost a friend in a road accident. This sparked a network of like minded cyclists to spread the safe cycling message. And facebook is the medium through which information is spreading fastest these days between cyclists and other concerned individuals in Singapore.

SG Cyclists will expand their page admins to diversify content to match the cycling scene in Singapore. If they manage this, it could provide a central place for cyclists to gather online.

Just in their infancy, SG Cyclists had a fruitful conversation with Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Kheng about the fate of Tampines Bike Park. It was an example of the sort of dialogue they are willing to pursue.

A cycling-friendly Singapore has become more of a reality just from 10 years ago. We have along way to go, but this will grow with our city. We can't pass the buck to government alone, but efforts from the ground are sorely needed, such as this one.

Go one, hop over and see you at SG Cyclists, the Inclusive Cycling Community.

Another cyclist killed - worker returning to dorm in collision with bus at Jalan Boon Lay/International Road junction

"Cyclist who escaped Jurong blaze killed in collision with bus," by Lim Yi Han. The Straits Times, 04 May 2013

"He had escaped a blaze at his workplace in the Jurong Industrial Estate four days ago, as he was out on a job.

But Malaysian Tan Kian Eang, 45, was not so lucky early yesterday morning, as his bicycle was involved in a collision with an SBS Transit bus at the junction of Jalan Boon Lay and International Road.

Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived shortly after the accident at around midnight and pronounced Mr Tan dead at the scene. The Singaporean bus driver has been suspended pending police investigations.

This is the second fatality from a bus collision in less than two weeks. A 42-year-old woman died after she was hit by an SBS bus in Clementi on April 23.

According to evening daily Lianhe Wanbao, Mr Tan, who worked at Nam Hup, which supplies tents for outdoor events, was cycling back to his dormitory when the accident occurred.

He had planned to return to Malaysia over the weekend to vote.

He is survived by his wife and a seven-year-old daughter.

A colleague, Mr Friday Dayan, 30, said he had known Mr Tan for seven-and-a-half years. He said: "He was funny and like a brother to me. I'm very sad."

Nam Hup was slightly damaged in the fire on Tuesday, which destroyed three warehouses.

Ms Tammy Tan, senior vice-president of SBS Transit's corporate communications, said yesterday the company was "very sorry that this has happened" and its foremost priority would be to get in touch with Mr Tan's family to express its condolences and render what assistance it could.

She said SBS was also stepping up junction drill checks on its bus captains and would remind them of the need to always be alert.

Workers at the Jurong Industrial Estate told The Straits Times the junction is dangerous, with heavy vehicles tending to speed.

Security guard Ahmad Sata, 64, cycles to work from his home in Boon Lay. He said: "I'm very careful in this area because the heavy vehicles are very fast and sometimes don't give way."

Mr Gong Xiao Wei, 27, a mechanical engineer, added: "I was fined for cycling on the pavement before, but I don't dare to cycle on the roads. There are too many heavy vehicles here and my life is more important."

limyihan@sph.com.sg

LTA of London, TFL, is testing out Dutch style road to make cycling safer in London

LTA of London, TFL, is testing out Dutch style road to reduce cyclist related accidents.

"Even at first go, it's safer then current round about."

After TWO cyclists died in London this year, stubborn TFL is now actively learning the best practices from the Netherlands to make cycling safer in London.

How many cyclists died in Singapore this year so far? What can LTA do to make it safer here?

BBC News London 30 April 2013
'Dutch roundabouts' could be seen in London next year

Roundabouts like the ones used in the Netherlands separating cars from cyclists could be used in London as early as next year, the city's cycling commissioner has said.

Trials of the layout are taking place at a research laboratory in Berkshire. The roundabouts do not conform with Department for Transport regulations as they stand. But Andrew Gilligan said if the trials continued to go well they could be seen in 2014.

'Fantastic for cyclists'
The layout gives cyclists priority and means they are in the line of sight of drivers when vehicles exit the roundabout. Campaigners have called for a number of London junctions to be changed to make them safer following cyclists' deaths.

In 2011 two cyclists died in the space of three weeks at the Bow roundabout in east London. The roundabout trial, which has been going for six weeks and will end in July, forms part of the mayor of London's Vision for Cycling. More than 600 people have been involved so far and the effects on safety and capacity will be studied. The impact on pedestrians and lorry, van and car drivers will also be monitored. Members of the public can participate in the trials.

Other ideas being tested include traffic lights with separate signals for cyclists. Mr Gilligan said: "We've got a cycling budget of £913m over 10 years and it includes £100m to refit junctions. "I'm really looking forward to seeing this [roundabout] on the road. I think it's going to be fantastic for cyclists."

Subject to the outcome of the trials, Transport for London (TfL) will work with the Department for Transport to try the roundabouts on the public highway. TfL said improvements at Bow roundabout and a 20mph speed limit at Waterloo roundabout were due to be delivered this summer as part of ongoing improvements.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22347184

Ivan Chew's suggestions for the Khatib Bongsu Park Connector

Ivan Chew at the Rambling Librarian writes,

"I love our Park Connectors. I ride on the Khatib Bongsu park connector most often (sometimes connecting all the way to Woodlands Waterfront, through the Admiralty connector). I've noticed minor improvements to the Khatib Bongsu connector in the last two years. But there's still room for improvements. "

And he goes on to detail the suggestions for seven sections of the Khatib Bongsu Park Connector, with illustrations such as this one:

If you have suggestions about your favourite PCN, blog about it and let me know, I'll highlight it here and forward the links to URA and any other relevant agency. Thanks Ivan!

"Like" the Mountain Biking Association (Singapore) facebook page

It began subtly, with a request to get to know each other:

As the rate of discovery was too slow, a more serious appeal was launched!

facebook.com/mbasg2012

Learn more about this new association of volunteers who are engaging with NParks over mountain biking in their parks, contributing to advise on trails, conducting trail maintenance, enhancing communication with the community, etc. Find out more by "liking" the page at facebook.com/mbasg2012.

Dialogue with mountain bikers and upgrading works for 17-year old Bukit Timah Mountain Biking trail

"Makeover for mountain bike trail at Bt Timah," by Grace Chua. The Straits Times, 12 Mar 2013.

AN AGEING, fast-eroding mountain-biking trail at Bukit Timah may soon get a facelift to make it smoother and safer.

The National Parks Board (NParks) put out a tender for upgrading works to the 17-year-old, 7.5km route, which loops around the outer edge of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

The tender, which closed last month, attracted three bids between $398,009 and $497,830, but has not been awarded.

It details plans to improve trail drainage, remove chunks of tree trunks and re-route sections, among other measures.

The project will take about three months from the time the contract is awarded, and be done in sections while the rest of the biking-only trail remains open.

The mountain-biking community here is growing, and some 500 to 700 cyclists trundle through the trail on weekends, said NParks director of conservation Wong Tuan Wah. Such intense use, along with Singapore's heavy downpours, increases erosion.

"We aim to improve rider safety and experience, and make the trail attractive for responsible mountain-bikers of all competency levels," Mr Wong said.

NParks decided to upgrade the trail after a dialogue with members of the mountain-biking community. It also plans to invite them to trail-building and trail maintenance sessions, he said.

Avid mountain-biker Calvin Chin, 39, said the Bukit Timah trail is one of the most popular and accessible in Singapore. Others are at Tampines, Chestnut, Kent Ridge and Pulau Ubin.

Last year, NParks caught a group of bikers entering an illegal trail further north, closed off to recreational use because it passes through ecologically sensitive forest.

"We understand there are sound reasons behind why they don't want us to ride there," said Mr Chin, a supply chain manager and member of a community group that met NParks last year to advocate for bike-trail users. "But there are a lot more mountain-bikers, and trails are jam-packed."

Improving the Bukit Timah trail would help, as would adding new trails, he said.

Riders have started doing volunteer maintenance at other trails, such as the one at Kent Ridge.

"We hope that the provision of better mountain-bike facilities will help to discourage usage of non-designated trails," said Nature Society vertebrate study group chair Tony O'Dempsey.

But Nature Society president Shawn Lum said nature reserve visitors in general need to change their mindset, from that of "customers" to "co-owners", and not wander down closed paths, to let the forest regenerate.

Bukit Timah resident Vinita Ramani Mohan, 34, who lives close to the nature reserve, complained of noise from bikers there late at night, at around 10pm or 11pm.

"I would like to see bikers be a little more considerate to the nocturnal wildlife in the reserves and cease biking at night," she said. caiwj@sph.com.sg

NTU Bike Rally 2013 sets off early tomorrow morning!

At 5am on Sunday (03 Mar 2013) morning, participants will register at the NTU Chinese Heritage Centre (as they used to in earlier years like 2003), and prepare to set off for their 138km round-island ride.

Amongst the many cyclists will be undergrads trying out their FIRST round-island on rental bicycles! They will battle the distance, heat and thirst in a transforming effort to break new sport boundaries. All the best to them!