ENSURING SAFE CYCLING IN SINGAPORE

ENSURING SAFE CYCLING IN SINGAPORE

9.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) if he will update the House on efforts of the Cycling Facilitation Committee set up in 2009 to establish a common code of practice for safe cycling and its public education and enforcement efforts against reckless cycling behaviour; and (b) when will the Ministry implement any of its recommendations.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: One of the key objectives of the Cycling Facilitation Committee (CFC) is to establish a common, community-led approach to address and better coordinate public education and enforcement efforts on cycling. The CFC recognises that the combined efforts of various Government agencies and local communities to implement these measures are the primary driver to shape and promote safe cycling behaviour.

Since its formation, CFC has been piloting a number of initiatives to create greater awareness on safe cycling. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has worked with local communities and other Government agencies to distribute brochures on safe cycling to the residents during the recent launches of the initial phases of cycling paths in Tampines and Taman Jurong. Such public education efforts will continue with the progressive launch of cycling paths in the cycling towns.

CFC also found that Safe Cycling Clinics and Volunteer Cycle Warden Schemes are amongst the more successful community engagement efforts to educate cyclists on the common practices for safe cycling. Since September 2009, the Safe Cycling Task Force (SCTF) and Traffic Police (TP) have conducted 27 cycling clinics for a total of 9,500 participants within Tampines Town at community events, schools and foreign worker dormitories. There are plans to have these Safe Cycling Clinics replicated in the other cycling towns. Tampines has also put in place a Volunteer Cycle Warden Scheme, which involves the grassroots and resident volunteers to police any unsafe cycling behaviour at "hotspots" such as junctions and bus shelters. Similar engagement efforts to educate cyclists have been carried out successfully in Aljunied, Eunos and Paya Lebar with the support of the local communities and LTA. From the experiences of these ongoing public education initiatives, CFC is in the midst of developing a set of guidelines on proper cycling behaviour on dedicated cycling paths.

Apart from these efforts, TP has been giving customised talks in schools and at community-level events to provide tips on safe cycling. At these talks, TP shares case studies of traffic accidents involving cyclists and the benefits of using a pre-riding checklist for cyclists. In addition, road safety exhibitions which provide safety tips for cyclists have been held at HDB neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces.

With support from various stakeholders, CFC will continue to be committed to the cause of shaping and promoting good cycling behaviour through our public education and enforcement efforts.

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