Govt to build more off-road cycling paths

The government will continue to give priority to building more dedicated off-road cycling paths, as cycling continues to become an increasingly popular mode of transport. 

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said this when asked whether more can be done for the safety of cyclists. 

He said as road space is scarce, a dedicated lane for cyclists would require additional land, or for existing vehicle lanes to be narrowed. 

As such, the government is unable to accommodate that as it must think of larger, overall needs.

Associate Professor Faishal said cycling paths are safer for cyclists of all proficiencies, cater to the most number of users, and are generally planned to cater to short intra-town cycling trips 

He said by 2014, there will be more than 50 kilometres of off-road paths in HDB towns, as well as up to 16 kilometres of cycling paths in the Marina Bay downtown area. 

He also told the house that the Traffic Police and Home Affairs Ministry are reviewing cycling penalties to ensure they are commensurate with the severity of the offences, as well as looking at how current education methods for road users can be improved. 

"We will continue to give priority to our efforts to develop off-road cycling paths to facilitate intra-town cycling. We will also review if we can do a little more on the infrastructure front to facilitate on-road cycling. Beyond infrastructure, it is also important for us to inculcate good cycling habits and responsible driving through public education supplemented by an effective regulatory regime. It is my hope that over time, we will be able to engender a good cycling and driving culture that allows for mutual understanding, basic courtesy and more importantly a safe environment for all road users."