[sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit

chuwa chuwasg at yahoo.com
Wed Mar 30 00:56:34 JST 2005


Hi all,

 

It is heart warming to receive such an active response to the original post. 

 

I am not an expert in transportation, but intuitively, I feel that Singapore has a significant role to play in (indirectly) motivating other Asian countries to move in a more sustainable direction. 

 

To quote from "Preserving and expanding the role of non-motorised transport" by Walter Hook

 ***************************

"Many developing cities have implemented policies which reduce the appeal of cycling, encouraging people to travel by motorised means even for short trips. However, an increasing
number of city governments in developed and developing cities have recently begun actively promoting bicycling and walking"

 ***************************

Many developing cities take the face-value of developed cities as a role model; they want to be part of those "achieved". Having many cars moving along busy roads seems to have a symbolic value to those cities which are not "there" yet. 

 

Singapore is very progressive in many respects. It is only natural for the less developed cities to view Singapore as a role model. If Singapore adopts a pro-cycling policy, I expect it will set many other Asian cities to pause and think deeper regarding their own transport policy.

 

However, it seems to me that the Land Transport Authority (e.g. LTA) is lacking the will to move towards non-motorized transport and does not feel the need to link transportation to the impact of health. This is partly reflected in the policy statement (www.gov.sg)

 ***************************

"Singapore's land transport policy strives to provide a world-class land transport system - one that is integrated, efficient, affordable, with smooth-flowing traffic and which will meet the people's needs and support economic and environmental goals.”

  ***************************

Such attitude of seeing use of bicycle as a sign of the under-developed is explicitly expressed by Mr Khaw Boon Wa, the Ministry of Transport in a 2003 Parliament debate:

http://www.parliament.gov.sg/Publication/Htdocs/20030315.pdf

 ***************************

 “.... When we manage mass transport policies to move large number of commuters in the most efficient way, we have to give priority, not to bicycles, but to MRT and buses. ....... LTA only take charge of about 12% of Singapore island, .....we have to manage this 12% very carefully. .......
Yes, in cities, like Beijing, Hanoi, you will see on TV thousands of cyclists and, because of that, they set aside special bicycle lanes. That is because they are at a stage of economic development where, for the masses, bicycles, in most cases, are still the most affordable. I do not think Singapore is in that situation. We have already gone past that stage. If you look at Beijing, which I visit quite frequently, as the middle class expands and the standard of living goes up, they are now rapidly putting in MRTs, upgrading their buses and expanding their roads. It is a matter of time when they will also be taking away the bicycle lanes. So this progressive switch from bicycles to buses and MRTs for the masses, you can see it all over the world and is closely correlated with GDP growth.”

 ***************************


Posts in the Government feedback forum are read by the public and the relevant authorities. Although the target participants of the feedback unit are mainly Singaporean, in this case, it may be useful to share your view there, as an alternative view point. 

Here is the link again:

 

http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921

 

Chu Wa
Senior Consultant (Design and Innovation)
Philips Electronic Singapore Pte. Ltd.
 

"Carlos F. Pardo" <cpardo at cable.net.co> wrote:
You can also read our module on non motorised module (3d: "Preserving and
expanding the role of non-motorised transport" by Walter Hook) from the
following address:

www.sutp.org/download/sourcebookhome.php (you may need to give your name and
email, but that is a short process).

There will also be a training course available shortly.


Best regards,

Carlos F. Pardo
Project Coordinator
GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP)
Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP
ESCAP UN Building
Rajadamnern Nok Rd.
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel:  +66 (0) 2 - 288  2576
Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280  6042
Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727
e-mail: carlos.pardo at sutp.org
Website: www.sutp.org


-----Mensaje original-----
De: sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=cable.net.co at list.jca.apc.org [mailto:
sustran-discuss-bounces+cpardo=cable.net.co at list.jca.apc.org] En nombre de
Regina Manzo
Enviado el: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 9:24 AM
Para: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
Asunto: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on
Singaporegovernmentfeedback unit

Hello All. Regarding bicycles on pavements in Singapore

I cycled to work frequently over a 2 year period here in Singapore, and 
continue to cycle for many daily need trips. Just some additional 
information.

There are two types of adults who cycle here: more affluent cyclists with 
mountain or road bikes and proper headgear, etc., and older people who pedal

slowly, always on the roads, on old black bikes often with packs of goods 
with them. The latter use this mode as their major form of transport. 
Adults in the first category use the sidewalks where the roadways are too 
dangerous.

Bicycling is low-prestige behaviour in Singapore, as is typical in many 
developing countries (though Singapore is no longer a developing country). 
Driver behaviour is poor - many of you may be aware of the Sunday cycling 
group that lost an avid member about four months back because a tour bus 
would not shift in its lane when overtaking the group. Bicycling for 
children is not safe in most areas, and there is no effort to make school 
zones bike-able or walk-friendly. As in the US, obesity rates are beginning

to rise alarmingly here and so it is a pity that no Safe-Routes-to-School 
efforts are taking place.

While there are bicycling lanes on the East Coast Park, and more being 
planned in Tampines and other places, getting to these bike lanes requires a

trip in a car or cycling through miles of roadways. (This is related to the

effort to develop a few large regional parks and less neighborhood open 
space facilities.) My husband and I bike to the East Coast and then around 
the island on Sundays, choosing that day because traffic is lightest 
although it is already difficult by 8am.

So, bicycling on the pavements - the few times that it happens does not pose

a real problem for pedestrians, and the $1000 fine should be lifted. 
Changing the mindset of planning for transportation is required, which would

include what Brendan Finn mentions (providing bike space on roadways, etc.),

and other things like providing cycle parking at homes/offices/shopping, 
providing changing/shower facilities at offices, incentivizing cycle 
behavior through commuting incentives, incentivizing bicycling at the school

level through children- and school-led programs, and more... There's lots 
of scope for improvement.

best regards,
Gina Manzo Anderson, AICP
Singapore 257720
ph +65 6476-7604
mobile +65 9733-1006


From: Todd Alexander Litman 

Reply-To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport 

To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport 
,
Subject: [sustran] Re: Cycling on Pavements - public debate on 
Singaporegovernment feedback unit
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:47:55 -0800


You may find useful information in our paper "Managing Personal Mobility
Devices (PMDs) On Nonmotorized Facilities"
(http://www.vtpi.org/man_nmt_fac.pdf). In this context bicycles are defined
as Personal Mobility Devices. Please let me know if you have feedback on
it. I'm planning to update that paper soon.


Best wishes,
-Todd Litman



At 02:18 PM 3/28/2005 +0100, Brendan Finn wrote:

>I cannot see how the safety of pedestrians would not be compromised by
>allowing cycling on the pavements.
>
>I think the solution lies in a three-way response :
>
>a) Establish a network of cycle lanes, mostly on the existing road
>space. In principle, if bicycles are a means of transportation, by belong
>on the roads. By all means, mark out space on broad pavements adjacent to
>busy roads. Leisure cycling is different, and there are already cycle
>paths along the East Coast recreation areas, for example. Europe has
>countless examples of different ways to integrate cycling within the
>mobility network.
>
>b) Launch a strong behavioural awareness campaign for both motorists
>and cyclists. Singaporeans do respond to such campaigns. Motorists need to
>understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their behaviour.
>Cyclists need to avoid unnecessary risks, and to behave properly as well.
>(In my opinion, many professional cyclists have even worse attitudes than
>SUV drivers)
>
>c) Enforce the law on motorists and cyclists. Motorists who offend
>against cyclists should be shamed, with their names and details of the
>case getting as much publicity in the papers as other unacceptable
>behaviour such as maid-abuse. Aggressive or even negligent behaviour by
>motorists can easily cost a cyclist his/her life, and this anti-social
>aspect should be highlighted.
>
>Anyone using bicycle as their means of transport in Singapore takes their
>life in their hands at the moment. Like the rest of the planet, Singapore
>needs to have cycling as a viable alternative to car and public transport.
>This has energy, emissions, transportation, societal, personal health and
>cost advantages.
>
>However, walking is an even more fundamental means of mobility. I do not
>think that giving cyclists free reign on the pavements is the right 
solution.
>
>With best wishes,
>
>
>
>
>
>Brendan Finn.
>
>__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
>
>Tel : +353.87.2530286 e-mail : etts at indigo.ie
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie at list.jca.apc.org
>[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+etts=indigo.ie at list.jca.apc.org]On Behalf
>Of chuwa
>Sent: 26 March 2005 16:55
>To: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
>Subject: [sustran] Cycling on Pavements - public debate on Singapore
>govermentfeedback unit
>
>
>
>Currently, cyclists are prohibited from cycling on pavements. Offenders
>can face a fine of up to $1,000 or a jail term for up to 3 months.
>However, the authorities are looking into the possibility of relaxing this
>rule, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee.
>
>The re-think came about after several MPs raised the plight of the
>cyclists. One such MP who has been advocating a change of this particular
>rule for the last 3 years is Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng.
>
>The main reason for this change is the apparent danger that cyclists face
>in the form of the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads. The
>number of accidents involving cyclists has also been rising in the past
>few years.
>
>If changes are made to this particular rule, the safety of pedestrians
>would not be compromised. A Traffic Police spokesman said that other
>appropriate rules "would have to be put in place to ensure everyone's 
safety".
>
>What do you think of the idea to allow cyclists on our pavements? Let's
>hear your views.
>
>-------------------------------------
>to view the current on-going debate, please follow this link:
>
>>http://app.feedback.gov.sg/asp/dis/dis0003.asp?topicId=1881&catId=921
>
>
>================================================================
>SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
>equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries
>(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus
>is on urban transport policy in Asia.


Sincerely,
Todd Litman, Director
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
"Efficiency - Equity - Clarity"
1250 Rudlin Street
Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, Canada
Phone & Fax: 250-360-1560
Email: litman at vtpi.org
Website: http://www.vtpi.org




================================================================
SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, 
equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries 
(the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is 
on urban transport policy in Asia.




================================================================
SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred,
equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (
the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is
on urban transport policy in Asia.


================================================================
SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). Because of the history of the list, the main focus is on urban transport policy in Asia.
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