Article: Bicycle racks at 32 MRT stations by Sept 2014

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Bicycle racks at 32 MRT stations by Sept 2014

Bicycle racks at 32 MRT stations by Sept 2014
By Eugene Neubronner 03 April

SINGAPORE — Commuters who pedal to 12 MRT stations, such as Bishan, Punggol and Tampines, will find more parking facilities waiting for them by September next year.

The 12 train stations, where 600 bicycle racks will be built, are the latest locations that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has identified as having "high demand for bicycle parking spaces".

When work is completed, about a third of MRT stations here, or 32 out of 89 stations presently, will have enhanced parking facilities that consist of either single- or two-tiered racks.

Building more bicycle racks is part of a continuing effort mentioned by Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim on "facilitating ease of cycling as a first-and-last-mile mode of transport" during the ministry's Committee of Supply debate last month.

The LTA has installed 1,500 racks at 10 stations (see box), which were completed last October. A second batch of 900 racks is currently being built at 10 more stations and is slated for completion by September this year.

The LTA said that "usage of the new racks has been encouraging". "We observed that there is less indiscriminate parking of bicycles near the stations where the additional racks have been provided," said an LTA spokesperson.

The LTA said it will determine the number of single- and double-tier racks once tenders are called.

About half of the 15 cyclists interviewed expressed concerns over the ease of parking bikes onto the second tier, especially for elderly or female cyclists.

Retiree Chan Kong, 60, said he believed older people such as himself would be unlikely to use the upper rack, and that most would continue to park on the floor level instead for convenience. Agreeing, homemaker Mei Yan, 36, said: "I cannot lift my bike up to that height. I cycle to the station to park and go to the market, so it would be inconvenient for me."

Instead of new racks, most suggested the authorities could step up efforts in getting rid of old and abandoned bikes left at parking bays instead.

The LTA said that it will also work closely with the National Environment Agency to remove "abandoned or derelict bicycles chained to our road structures" when feedback is received.

Due to space constraints, the new parking areas would mostly be unsheltered, said the LTA.

Technician Thet Zaw Win, who pointed to the row of bicycles along the covered walkway at Boon Lay MRT Station, felt this may influence the parking decisions of cyclists.

"People do not park in the new area because it is too hot. They do not park in the old area because there are too many bikes already there and it is too narrow. So, they park along the walkway," said the 43-year-old.

A check at seven stations with the new racks found that the take-up rates varied.

Those that were unsheltered, or furthest away from the station, were mostly empty. Those up close were often oversubscribed, with two or three bikes chained to each rack or simply locked to themselves instead.

The LTA said it will continue to work with the community to encourage residents and commuters to use the racks provided.