Yeo Ghim Lay, Straits Times 1 Jul 08;
CYCLISTS in Tampines who ride recklessly on the estate's footpaths may be penalised in the next phase of a trial to let cyclists share the space with pedestrians.
The year-long trial ended in May, but will be extended by six months, during which enforcement action will be stepped up to make the sharing of footpaths more feasible.
Reckless riders were not fined during the trial but, over the next six months, those who are caught riding in a manner that can maim or kill someone could be looking at up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
The town's posse of cycling wardens will also be teaching safe-riding tips to residents during this period.
Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan, who is also an MP for Tampines GRC, noted yesterday that the trial had the support of residents, but more needed to be done to get residents to accept cyclists on footpaths.
The experiment was sparked off by a 2005 parliamentary debate in which Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng called for cyclists to be allowed to ride on footpaths, in the light of an increasing number of them being killed on busy roads.
The trial was confined to Tampines, but Sembawang and Woodlands have announced plans to build their own bicycle tracks.
Meanwhile, the Land Transport Authority will look into improving cycling infrastructure in Tampines, perhaps by widening the footpaths and building more bike paths.
The Tampines Town Council has said that it will build 2.3km of such paths in the neighbourhood and is planning another 7km of paths which will link up with park connectors to other towns in the east.
Cycling on footpaths: Tampines extends trial
Efforts to be stepped up to educate foreign workers, students on safe cycling
Neo Chai Chin, Today Online 2 Jul 08;
THEY ride their bicycles at high speeds on footpaths, endangering and annoying the pedestrians in Tampines.
For this and other unsavoury cycling habits, foreign workers and schoolchildren are two groups that the town’s cycling wardens will be focusing on in their safety education programme over the coming months.
Tampines’ Cycling on Footways year-long trial, which ended on May 31, will be restarted for another six months — from Aug 1 to Jan 31 next year, Mr Mah Bow Tan, adviser to Tampines GrassrootsOrganisations (TGO), said yesterday.
While education efforts for the general public will be stepped up during the extension of the trial, the committee received “more feedback, more complaints about the two groups”, said Mr Mah, who is also Minister for National Development.
Road safety videos will be produced in English, Bengali, Thai and Mandarin for the foreign workers to be distributed to their dormitories. The videos will be screened during the workers’ rest and meal times, said Superintendent Lee Chee Chiew, deputy commander of the Traffic Police.
For the students, exhibitions and talks will be held at all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Tampines.
The videos and talks will emphasise safe cycling habits.
Mr Mah stressed the need to have proper facilities, public education aswell as enforcement in order for cyclingon footpaths to be feasible.
To cater to the growing number of cyclists, tenders have been issued for the construction of 2.3km of bicycle tracks and $1 million has been set aside for this pilot phase of the project, said Tampines Member of Parliament Ong Kian Min. Some footpaths will also be widened so that they can accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists.
Tampines’ chief cycling warden and grassroots leader Steven Yeo said he hoped to recruit 90 more volunteers to add to the current group of 190 wardens to help spread the message of safe cycling.
On the enforcement front, Supt Lee said cyclists who ride in a disorderly manner can be fined $20 under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic (Bicycles) Rule, while those who ride in a rash or negligent manner endangering human life or causing injury can be jailed up to a year and/or fined$5,000 under the Penal Code.
The Cycling on Footways trial is a tripartite effort by the TGO, Singapore Police Force and the Land Transport Authority to study whether it is feasible for cyclists to share footpaths with pedestrians.
In a survey of 565 residents conducted by TSM consultancy from May to November last year, 57 per cent of non-cyclists and 73 per cent of cyclists supported the continuation of the scheme.
With fuel prices soaring, many Tampines residents welcomed the trial extension, saying that cycling would be a cheap mode of transport.
“Of course, it would be better if we could have more cycling tracks. They could even be used by people with baby prams,” said Tampines Street 22 resident Mr Rahim, 44, who cycles to the market and hawker centre twice a week.