Pasir Ris is third HDB town to have cycling path network

Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia 15 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE: Pasir Ris is now the third town in Singapore, after Tampines and Sembawang, to have its own cycling path network. It is part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) plans to build such networks in all HDB towns by 2030.

The network aims to make cycling safer and more seamless for residents. Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, officially opened the completed network on Sunday (Feb 15).

The new cycling paths add 9.3 kilometres to the existing network, which had been built by the town council previously. This brings the total length of the cycling network to 13.3 kilometres.

The town council had started building cycling tracks in the early 2000s, but Mr Teo said this had imposed many impediments on cyclists and did not cover the whole town. This resulted in the cycling tracks not being well utilised.

Residents can now cycle from their homes to places like Pasir Ris MRT station, the bus interchange, White Sands shopping centre, and other key amenities. They can also ride to adjacent towns like Tampines and Changi Village through the park connectors.

Residents told Channel NewsAsia the new cycling paths could ensure the safety of cyclists.

"In the past, there was no proper path just for cycling, so sometimes we bumped into each other. But now it's much better,” commented Pasir Ris resident Mdm Heng Meng Jee.

"It was difficult to pass by the cars or the motorcycles while cycling on the side of the roads. But now that they put the cycling path on the pedestrian side, so it's much easier and much safer," said Mr Dariush Taheri, who has lived in Pasir Ris for seven years and cycles three times a week.

Bicycle crossings have also been built at two traffic light junctions at Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Drive 1, where cycling traffic to and from the town centre is heavier. The bicycle crossings run adjacent to the pedestrian crossings and cyclists will not need to dismount to cross the road.

But Mr Teo also called on road users to look out for each other even as the Transport Ministry is currently working on developing clear rules and norms for cyclists.

"Given that Singapore has land constraints, we are not that big. It is not possible to build dedicated cycling paths for all popular routes everywhere,” said Mr Teo. “So there will be situations, many situations where pedestrians, those walking and cyclists need to cross paths or to share space, and we want to avoid accidents as far as possible.”

“The less vulnerable should look out for and give way to the more vulnerable. Those who are more vulnerable should also be aware of their own vulnerability,” he added.

LTA said it is on track to bring dedicated cycling paths to more HDB towns. Yishun residents will be the next to benefit, with their dedicated cycling path network expected to be completed by the second quarter of this year. Works will also start in Taman Jurong and Changi-Simei, with completion expected by the end of this year.

- CNA/by/xq

Pasir Ris the third town to get cycling path network
YVONNE LIM Today Online 16 Feb 15;

SINGAPORE — Pasir Ris is now the third town in Singapore to have its own network of dedicated cycling paths, after Tampines and Sembawang.

With the network spanning 13.3km, residents can use their two-wheelers to get to main amenities in the town, such as the MRT station, bus interchange and White Sands mall.

Cyclists can now also ride to nearby towns, such as Tampines and Changi Village, through the park connectors.

The Government plans to build intra-town cycling paths in all Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns by 2030. The project aims to make it safer and more convenient for people to opt for this green mode of transport.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also plans to build cycling paths that are integrated with the National Parks Board’s Park Connector Networks. Together, the two will form an islandwide, off-road cycling path network spanning more than 700km by 2030.

In December last year, a comprehensive blueprint was unveiled to transform Ang Mo Kio into the model town for being bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly by 2018.

Preliminary ideas include narrowing roads to slow motorists down, carving out an extensive network of dedicated paths segregating pedestrians and two-wheelers, as well as a 2.6km-long all-weather channel spanning Yio Chu Kang MRT Station and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park for pedestrians and cyclists.

One of these ideas, signalised bicycle crossings, has been put in place in Pasir Ris. Cyclists can now cross roads without dismounting, using dedicated crossings next to pedestrian crossings on Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Drive 1, which see more traffic to and from the city centre.

Cycling “ambassadors” have also been designated to educate residents on safe and responsible cycling.

At the launch of the Pasir Ris cycling network yesterday, Parliamentary Secretary (Transport and Health) Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said a set of rules and norms for cycling conduct and behaviour was being pieced together.

“With these in place, I believe more people would find it safer and more convenient to cycle as a mode of transport, especially for short trips within the HDB town,” he said.

Meanwhile, the LTA said residents in Yishun can also expect new dedicated cycling paths by the second quarter, while those in Taman Jurong and Changi-Simei will see cycling path networks completed by the end of this year.