Cycling facilities in 5 towns to be ramped up

SINGAPORE — Cycling enthusiasts in Tampines, Pasir Ris, Yishun, Sembawang and Taman Jurong will soon get to enjoy better facilities such as ramps, racks and bicycle crossings at junctions, as part of the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) efforts to improve intra-town connectivity. 

LTA will call for a tender next week to build more supporting cycling infrastructure in these five estates.

For instance, in Tampines, which has been earmarked as the next walking and cycling town after Ang Mo Kio, almost 30 bicycle crossings will be marked, mostly in school zones, to distinguish lanes for cyclists and pedestrians. 

A new cycling path is also slated to be installed along Tampines Concourse and Tampines Central 7 — linking up with the existing cycling path and places such as the MRT station, Tampines Regional Centre and Sun Plaza Park.

At Taman Jurong, its network of intra-town cycling paths will be doubled to 10km, connecting residents to the town hub, Lakeside MRT Station and the Jurong Lake District. Expansion works in Taman Jurong are expected to commence in the first quarter of next year. When completed in 2020, main roads such as Yuan Ching Road, Corporation Road and Boon Lay Way, as well as smaller roads enclosed within them will be lined with cycling paths. The LTA noted that the improved connectivity will complement a “large scale” bike-sharing scheme to be piloted at Jurong Lake District from the end of next year, where users can rent bicycles at any self-service docking station to get around the area.  

Singling out the plans for Taman Jurong, Mr Woon Taiwoon, who co-founded cycling group Love Cycling SG, said: “This is fantastic news as most of the western region in Singapore has been underserved by park connectors.”

The LTA has also been rolling out cycling links to connect MRT stations to park connectors nearby. The links in Clementi, Hougang, Marsiling, Promenande and Sengkang will be completed by the end of the year. Ms Denise Lee, who lives in Holland Village and commutes regularly by bike, welcomed the proposed link along Clementi Avenue 4 which she noted is currently “very built up and with heavy traffic”.

“Currently if we want to (cycle) to Clementi, we could take the same route, but (we have to) go on the pavement or the main road, which I don’t prefer because it is quite busy,” the 29-year-old teacher said. 

The tender is the latest effort by the Government to promote “active mobility”. In July, Ang Mo Kio residents saw the completion of the first phase of efforts to transform their neighbourhood into a model walking and cycling town. Residents there now enjoy a 4km cycling route that loops around Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, 3, and 8, connecting them to amenities such as the Ang Mo Kio MRT station, a swimming complex and the AMK Hub. 

Another 16km of cycling paths will also be added, making Ang Mo Kio the town with the longest cycling network. Plans are also in the pipeline to narrow the road along Ang Mo Kio Street 44, and provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Applauding the infrastructural enhancements, Mr Woon nevertheless called for greater public education on cycling etiquette.“There have been a recent spate of incidents due to cyclists speeding or riding recklessly…I hope the authorities can come down stronger on enforcement and communicate clearly what is acceptable.”