This story was printed from TODAYonline 
Monday • March 24, 2008
Letter from DSP Alvin Lee
Head, Research Planning and Organisational Development Branch, Traffic Police
Suhana Kharudin
Manager, Media Relations, Land Transport Authority
and Stephen Yeo
Chairman, Tampines Cycling Warden CSSP, Committee for Tampines Grassroots Organisations
We refer to the Weekend Xtra article, "The politics of sidewalks" (March 15-16), by Ravi Veloo.
We would like to correct an assumption made by Mr Veloo that Tampines is "chosen as a sample for the whole country" for the trial studying if cyclists and pedestrians can share footways safely.
The Tampines trial is for Tampines residents to decide whether this is something worth implementing in this specific constituency, not elsewhere.
A key feature of the trial, which will end on May 30, is the involvement of volunteer cycling wardens from Tampines — something unique to Tampines. They go out regularly to educate cyclists and pedestrians on the safe sharing of footways. They also identify gracious cyclists and pedestrians, who are rewarded with prizes.
As part of the public education effort, the Traffic Police have also put up educational banners and posters on safe cycling in prominent places. They have conducted safe cycling talks at schools and foreign worker dormitories in Tampines. They have also stepped up warnings against reckless cyclists.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also been helping to improve the infrastructure in Tampines, such as widening pedestrian crossings and installing "Cyclist Dismount" signs to emphasise safe cycling behaviour.
The Tampines Town Council is also doing its part — widening some footways where they are under Town Council land. It is also committed to building more segregated cycle tracks in Tampines and linking them to the park connectors.
The final evaluation of the study will take into consideration a wide range of factors, including the report by our independent consultant, TSM Consultancy, and the overall effect on a gracious community life, before the Tripartite Committee of LTA, the Traffic Police and Tampines Grassroots Organisations decide on the way forward for Tampines.
The Traffic Police and the LTA would obviously study carefully the results of the Tampines trial to better understand the issues involved in any proposal to allow cyclists on footways for other parts of Singapore.
However, even if the decision is taken following the trial to allow cycling on footways in Tampines, it does not automatically follow that this would be extended to other towns.
The local characteristics of each area would have to be taken into account when assessing its suitability for a similar initiative. Also, there must be support for this from the local community.
Therefore, it is inaccurate to state that the Tampines trial will "settle for the whole nation the question of whether cyclists should be allowed on footways".