A little tour of Sembawang bicycle infrastructure

Bicycle paths are gradually appearing in various Singapore new towns, with further plans announced recently. Are they helpful? Are the designs of high quality? Are they improving and learning from earlier mistakes. Leave a comment below if you have a view.

With those questions in mind I took a look around Sembawang this afternoon to see the bicycle infrastructure in the streets near the MRT station there. Here are some photos (from my mediocre phone camera).

The Sembawang paths as announced in 2008.

Please note that these paths are clearly intended for slow bicycle users - the same people who use the footways anyway, with or without bicycle paths. In my 90 minute walk I saw maybe 100 cyclists or more. Only two were on the roads and they were the only fast moving ones I saw. 

Most of the paths are simply widened footways, with separate sections for bicycle users and pedestrians. I saw a good mix of the sexes and a very wide range of ages (from small children to extremely elderly folks) using the paths.

No one paid any attention at all to the signs and paint during my short visit. But it didn't seem to matter. Maybe things are different at busy times like the morning and evening peak periods? 

In some places, the walking and cycling paths are separate. I didn't see anyone using the curvy path meant for pedestrians however.

The paths continue behind some bus stops without asking requiring bicycle users to dismount. Just a warning to give way. This is trusting people to be courteous, which I hope they mostly are! 

But cyclists are asked to dismount to negotiate some bus stops. Not surprisingly, none did so while I watched.

Bicycle users are also asked to dismount and walk wherever the path crosses the access street into the HDB parking areas. No prizes for guessing that none ever do! These are danger points but it seems unrealistic to expect cyclists to dismount here. Shouldn't such places be redesigned to have raised zebra crossings to give both pedestrians and cyclists priority? Motorists should be going very slowly and watching out at such locations anyway.

Signs in Tampines (and media coverage) suggest bicycle users are expected to walk across pedestrian crossings. I didn't see such signs in Sembawang except where the path itself ends before the intersection. In any case, the cyclists all do ride across, mostly cautiously at close to walking pace. 

By the way, there seems to be some confusion on the issue of cycling across pedestrian crossings. The law itself apparently does NOT ban cycling across pedestrian crossings (lights or zebra crossings), at least according to a 2009 parliamentary explanation by the Minster for Home Affairs (via Slow Riders blog). However, cycling on footways is illegal everywhere except Tampines. So it is not surprising there is confusion.

A wide range of people are cycling on the paths (and on other footways!). The high number of women and children I saw is a clue that cyclists here feel a high level of 'subjective safety'. I really don't know if that perception is matched by low accident and injury rates. Does anyone know of any careful analysis of this for these paths or others like them in Singapore?

So, what is your verdict on these facilities? 

Please comment! Are the Sembawang paths better than nothing? Could they be better? Are they a good start? Could they be improved on incrementally? Is there any need for all the paint and signs (which everyone seems to ignore)? Would it be better to just legalize cycling on pavements, as in Tampines (and as in Japan and certain states in Australia), and also widen them wherever possible?

I also have to confess some ignorance here on some important points. I am not sure if the newer bicycle paths (such as the latest one in Tampines) are using the same design guidelines as these older ones. Does anyone know? Have the design guidelines been made public? I am also a little confused about which paths have been done by which agency. I think Sembawang's paths were a Town Council initiative, whereas the newly announced paths are coming from an LTA initiative. Can anyone confirm?

"Seven towns to have dedicated cycling paths by 2014" (CNA)

Other articles on the same announcement are highlighted in WildSingapore (click to read):

1. "Changi-Simei and Bedok join ranks of cycling towns," by Maria Almenoar. The Straits Times, 16 Jul 2010.
2. "Marina Bay to be showcase cycling town," by Maria Almenoar. The Straits Times, 16 Jul 2010.
3. "The two-wheeler push," by Leong Wee Keat. Today Online, 16 Jul 2010.

"Seven towns to have dedicated cycling paths by 2014," by Dylan Loh. 15 July 2010.

"SINGAPORE: The government pedals forward with plans to get more people on two wheels. By 2014, Changi-Simei and Bedok will have dedicated cycling lanes.

This will bring to seven the number of estates where the government aims to promote intra-town biking to transport nodes like MRT stations. The other towns, announced in February 2009, are Yishun, Tampines, Sembawang, Taman Jurong and Pasir Ris. The tracks in these towns will be completed by 2012. In total, S$43 million will be spent for such dedicated cycling paths in the seven towns.

Besides the heartlands, the Marina Bay area will also see more biking action.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been working closely with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and National Parks Board to implement a network of cycling paths in the area. S$26 million has been set aside for the project. Work on these bicycle paths will begin this year and by 2014, cyclists can look forward to 16 kilometres of dedicated bicycle lanes in the Marina Bay area.

Meantime, construction of dedicated cycling paths in Tampines and Yishun has started. The first 1.2-kilometre stretch in Tampines will open for use this Sunday.

Dedicated bicycle lanes are hugely popular in European cities like Salzburg, Berlin and especially Amsterdam, where the bikes outnumber people by almost half. That's how much they love their two wheels. So the big question is: Can a similar cycling culture catch on in Singapore?

"I suppose so, because like now, cars are giving off too much greenhouse gas emissions," said a member of the public.

"It's not just a form of transport but it also builds up your physical fitness. So I would go for cycling," said another.

"No, because people might get in the way when I cycle and it's quite troublesome," said a third.

Initiatives like safety talks and cycling clinics will be used to tell the public about responsible cycling.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Teo Ser Luck said: "We want to make sure that they are educated in terms of some of the behaviours when they're cycling and making sure they recognise the different signs."

In addition, more resources will also be put into developing bicycle parking facilities at key transport hubs. "

- CNA/al/ir

Razor TV five part feature on Cycling Safety (21 Jun 2010)

Link to the videos at Razor TV here. Click part 1 and the video will continue through all five parts. The team talked to Theodore Teo, Benoi Valin and various other cyclists and motorists.

1. Roads dangerous for cyclists (Cycling safety Pt 1) [06:31]
   Cyclists and motorists are clashing over their right to Singapore's roads. RazorTV finds out the grievances cyclists have about motorists.
2. Motorists afraid of cyclists (Cycling safety Pt 2) [03:06]
   Motorists say that cyclists in Singapore do not practise safe cycling and often flout traffic regulations.
3. More cyclists = more accidents? (Cycling safety Pt 3) [04:07]
   With more cyclists on the road, the jostle for space has become more intense. RazorTV finds out if having more road cyclists mean more accidents.
4. Cycling to work is a breeze (Cycling safety Pt 4) [04:52]
   RazorTV follows Theodore Teo, assistant director at the Office of Career Services at Singapore Management University, from his home in Dover to his workplace in Victoria Street. Find out how he survives the bustling morning traffic.
5. How to ride safely (Cycling safety Pt 5) [05:45]
   RazorTV learns how to ride safely on Singapore's roads from Theodore Teo, a committee member of Safe Cycling Task Force.

Update - See Thomas Keeble's remarks in the comment section.

"The road to a cycling city"

"The road to a cycling city," by Cassandra Chew. The Straits Times, 16 Jun 2010. Govt should take a firm stand as pedestrians and motorists alike do not welcome cyclists

"I WAS in a bicycle store one weekend when I noticed a bumper sticker by the cashier counter.
"Watch For Cyclists", the striped black-and-yellow sign read. As I picked it up, the shopkeeper urged me to take one. Her eyes were heavy. It was the weekend when news of the death of experienced cyclist Evelyn Toh, 39, broke. She had been hit by a van.

'At least the newspapers reported the accident,' the shopkeeper sighed. 'They didn't use to.' It was a brief conversation, but she said plenty with just those few words.

To her, society has little regard for cyclists. And it is easy to see why.

Cyclists here are almost like the red-headed stepchildren of the road, without a place to call their own. By law, cyclists are to ride on the road - except in Tampines, where cycling on pavements is allowed.

Yet, many motorists are unwilling to share the roads with them. Ask any cyclist and he will readily share an incident or two, or three, when he had a near brush with death, no thanks to a motorist who drove with a bad attitude.

Naturally, some cyclists opt for the relative safety of the pavement. But as it turns out, pedestrians are equally, if not more, territorial than motorists. I would be hard-pressed to find a pedestrian who does not find cyclists a menace on the walkways.

So where do cyclists belong?

It's a question that needs to be answered quickly as this island copes with a burgeoning two-wheeler population. The longer it is sidestepped, the longer the vulnerable cyclist on the roads will have to ride on, exposed to hazards from careless motorists, deprived of the rights of safety they are entitled to.

If the answer is that cyclists are 'legitimate road users (who) deserve to be able to ride safely', as Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, said recently, then the status quo is not going to cut it.

Like cycling advocate Irene Ng, a Tampines GRC MP, I feel the Government plays a key role in establishing cyclists' right to be on the roads. Although millions are being invested in infrastructure for leisure cycling and short commutes, more can be done to integrate cycling as a mode of transport here, she argues.

And there are good reasons to do so.

Cycling is a good form of exercise. It is cheaper than travelling by car. It is also a faster means of travel than being stuck in a car if there is a traffic jam. Cycling produces less pollution than cars. Cycling infrastructure costs less to build than that for other vehicles.

But here is a reason that will interest every road user, not just than the health- and environmentally-conscious.
Cycling as an additional form of transport can help ease traffic congestion, a problem that can cost businesses billions of dollars.

That was the projection by the business community in Melbourne, Australia, in the early part of this decade, which led their mayor at the time, Dr John So, to be serious about encouraging cycling. Like many cycling cities in the world, Melbourne used bicycle lanes. Then, Dr So added bike rental stations and parking facilities equipped with showers and cafes.

Over in the Swedish city of Malmo, Mr Ilmar Reepalu, the mayor, says the idea is to make cycling attractive. So besides offering useful maps, the city wooed commuters by getting local celebrities on board. Mr Reepalu put them on bicycles, sent them round the city and published their favourite experiences in a book.

In Melbourne, Dr So also rounded up people in the community to get everyone on the same page. 'Companies can organise cycle-to- work days and cycling carnivals on weekends to get motorists to become recreational cyclists,' he suggests. From his experience, motorists will be more open to sharing the roads if they knew what it was like out there for cyclists.

Both city planners, who will be in Singapore in two weeks' time for the World Cities Summit, displayed strong political will to make cycling safe. And soon, the community came alongside to partner them in their efforts.

Today, bicycles make up 40 per cent of all journeys to and from work in Malmo, and 9 per cent of peak hour commuter traffic in Melbourne.

The Government here can spark a similar transformation if it establishes the legitimacy of cyclists here and promotes the humble bicycle as a means of transport.

If there is not enough room on existing roads for bicycle lanes, then how about shared lanes where cyclists have priority?

Motorists can be re-educated on the hows and whys of giving way to cyclists. Driving instructors, on their part, can help teach learner drivers the appropriate way of co-existing with cyclists on the roads.

More bicycle parking spaces can be erected near MRT stations and town malls. If outdoor bicycle parking facilities are unsafe, what about mandating, as New York City has, that new buildings have secure indoor parking for bicycles?

On the other hand, it will also be necessary to look into the list of bugbears that motorists have about cyclists.
After all, we can't expect motorists to share the roads if cyclists continue to flout traffic rules and get away with it.

If we have moved away from the practice of licensing bicycles, then what about a compulsory road safety test before cyclists are allowed on the roads?

And to help alter motorists' view of cyclists as parasitical road users who don't contribute to the upkeep of roads, perhaps we can consider charging cyclists a nominal fee if their bikes are above a certain size. Call it a bike tax.

There are solutions if we are willing to find them. The question is: Are we committed to doing so?

Cyclists, for their part, can abide by the rules.

But until the Government takes a firm stand on where they belong, motorists will have an excuse to see cyclists as road hazards who don't pay road tax, and not as living, breathing people who matter too.

casschew@sph.com.sg

Malaysian Railway land - a north-south bikeway and nature corridor in the making

Letters to the The Straits Times Forum Page, 03 Jun 2010

"Go for green corridor"

"THE potential release of land owned by the Malayan Railway (KTM) presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a beautiful cycling, hiking and nature trail linking the north and south of Singapore.

This would be a boon for the increasingly health- and environment-conscious population seeking spaces for cycling, jogging and hiking, and help them appreciate the nature spots.

The KTM corridor is an unobstructed, traffic-free and flat path. It presents both a non-motorised transport option as well as a recreational opportunity.

Traffic-separating infrastructure - bridges, cuttings and tunnels - already exists, lowering the cost of conversion considerably as opposed to construction from scratch.

The converted path could easily be linked to the existing Park Connector Networks (PCNs) in the north, west and south of Singapore.

For example, it would be possible to link it with the Woodlands Waterfront and the Northern Explorer PCN, the Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk and the popular Southern Ridges Walk.

The new path would also immediately link the north, north-western and western towns with the biotechnology hub of one-north, the future arts-and- culture hub in Tanjong Pagar and the financial district, providing a safe and convenient commute for people living in these areas."

Thomas R. Keeble

"A new life for Tanjong Pagar Station," The Straits Times Forum page, 03 Jun 2010.

'How perfectly fitting for this historic transport hub to function as a terminus for green cyclists wishing to park their bikes and enter the city centre on foot.'

THE Malayan Railway's right-of-way contains some lovely islands of tranquillity in Singapore's otherwise urban landscape. They should be cherished. The right-of- way can be converted into a leafy ribbon park running from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands, with a bikeway for convenient access to the city from the north.

Bike lock-up and pay-shower/locker facilities could be built into the conservation plans of the Tanjong Pagar Station. How perfectly fitting for this historic transport hub to function as a terminus for green cyclists wishing to park their bikes and enter the city centre on foot. It could be developed as a hiking/walking/ cycling emporium, a 'Velopolis'.

And please, preserve the lovely cottage-like station in Bukit Timah as a midway resting point offering refreshments.

The ribbon park and Velopolis could be named after Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, to honour his visionary reforestation campaigns that are among his greatest legacies to this city state.

Wayne Mitchell

(KTM) Rails to Trails?

Tom Keeble asks hopefully,

"So with the transfer of the KTM line to Singapore, what do you think are the chances of getting the line turned into a massive park connector from Woodlands to Tanjong Pagar?" Like Rails to Trails in the US - www.railstotrails.org

He is referring the ground-breaking news on the 24th of May 2010:

"KTMB station in Tanjong Pagar to relocate to Woodlands by July 2011," by S Ramesh. Channel News Asia, 24 May 2010. [pdf]

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia capped a historic day in relations on Monday with agreement on a long outstanding bilateral issue.

After 20 years, both sides have arrived at a solution on the Malayan Railway Land in Singapore. The leaders of the two countries agreed to move the station at the heart of the city centre in Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands Train checkpoint, near the border by the 1 July 2011.

The smiles said it all - of a retreat that has been fruitful with significant moves. The centrepiece must surely be the issue of the railway land and lines, spelt out in the Points of Agreement (POA) signed in 1990.

Read the rest of the article here.

For the joint statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat, click here.

Evelyn Toh, RIP 2010

"Cyclist dies after being hit by van," by Melissa Pang. The Straits Times, 16 May 2010. Man held over death; fatal accident comes two months after another cycling death

Ms Toh posing with her bicycle in this photo, which was taken by her husband Hoi Seng just before she went on her ill-fated ride last Thursday. - Photos courtesy of the family of Evelyn Toh

It was a photo taken before she went on her usual cycling routine, and the last that would ever be taken of her.

Last Thursday, Ms Evelyn Toh, 39, became the latest member of the cycling community to die in a traffic accident.

Her husband, who would give his name only as Hoi Seng, said he snapped the photo on the day of the accident. He said his wife, whom he wed 11 years ago, liked to be photographed in her sports gear.

Her death follows that of Mr Benjamin Mok, 35, who died two months ago after he was hit by a suspected drunk driver. A 62-year-old general practitioner was arrested in the case.

Hoi Seng, 40, a manager, said his wife had at least 15 years of riding experience. They have no children.

'When the police called, I did not believe that the accident was possible. She was a very safe and experienced cyclist.'

He knows little about the accident except that his wife was hit from behind by a van while on her usual cycling route along Sembawang Road.

The housewife, an avid sportswoman who participated in up to seven marathons and triathlons a year, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where she succumbed to serious injuries.

Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported last Friday that a 53-year-old man had been arrested for causing death by a rash act.

Ms Toh is remembered by Singapore Armed Forces technician Ayub Hasbi, 46, for her safety-conscious ways.

Saying he knew the former Iron Man participant through a weekend cycling group, he added that she would 'warn us about potholes, traffic lights and cars'.

Mr Ayub, who has more than 20 years of cycling experience, thinks more needs to be done to improve safety for the cycling community.

Last year, 17 cyclists and pillion riders died on the road, down from 22 in 2008.

After Mr Mok's death two months ago, cycling groups stepped up efforts to make roads safer for cyclists.

The Straits Times reported last month that Safe Cycling Taskforce president Steven Lim was looking to increase the number of road signs that warn motorists of the presence of cyclists.

There are currently at least 119 'Cyclists Ahead' signs.

Mr Ayub, however, questions the usefulness of these signs.

'It is giving an instruction, but whether motorists follow it is another matter. Even if the signs are big, they won't work if motorists do not show regard for them.'

But former national triathlete Jeanette Wang thinks 'a sign is better than no sign' and that they can be effective.

'Out of 10 signs, motorists will see at least one, and will know to look out for cyclists.'

Ms Wang, 28, an associate editor at Shape magazine, admits that cycling continues to be a dangerous experience for her.

'There's always a close call when I'm on the road. I have to jam-brake every time I ride because cars just don't notice me, even though I have front and back lights, and reflector strips to make myself more visible.'

Mr Robert Choy, 50, who has been cycling for 30 years, said motorists and cyclists both have a role to play in working towards a common understanding.

'Singapore drivers don't have the patience for cyclists. They also don't anticipate how fast a bicycle can go and think they can beat all cyclists,' said the self-employed man.

According to him, serious recreational cyclists can reach speeds of up to 70kmh when going down a slope. Ms Wang estimated that these cyclists travel at 35kmh on average.

Hoi Seng and his family hope Ms Toh's death will help raise awareness of the importance of road safety for cyclists.

Said his elder sister, who declined to be named: 'It's important to educate the public...If other road users were more careful and considerate, lives would not be wasted.'

Hoi Seng is unsure if he will ever cycle again.

'Evelyn was my inspiration. We'd look out for each other on the roads when we cycled,' he said.

'But I know she would want me to continue. She had always encouraged me to lead a healthy lifestyle.'