LTA seeking proposals for bike-sharing scheme

It plans to start trials on cycling path network by end of next year
By Royston Sim, The Straits Times, 3 Jul 2014

BEFORE a bike-share trial is wheeled out next year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) wants to find out how much it will cost, how it will be run and whether it is feasible.

The LTA issued a request for information (RFI) yesterday on government procurement website GeBIZ to seek proposals from industry players on implementing bike-sharing in Singapore.

It intends to introduce a trial scheme by the end of next year in areas with cycling path networks.

Potential locations are the city centre, Jurong Lake district, Pasir Ris, Tampines and Sembawang.

Bicycle-sharing is a self-service public bike rental scheme in which users can pay a fee to use a network of bikes distributed around an area.

Its aim is to complement public transport by offering the bicycle as a convenient and affordable option to complete the first or last mile of a journey, the LTA said.

The scheme should make it easier for commuters to make short trips to public transport nodes such as MRT stations, amenities and places of interest.

Besides providing details on automated docking stations, interested parties must also supply information on aspects like how the scheme will be funded.

The RFI exercise will conclude by the fourth quarter of this year, and the LTA will use the information to craft a tender for the bike-share pilot.

More than 600 cities have bike-share systems, including Hangzhou, Shanghai, New York, Paris and London.

In Singapore, NTUC Income wheeled out a bike-share scheme called Town Bike at four housing estates in 2004.

However, it folded in 2008 due to low usage and factors such as the lack of a dedicated cycling route.

Since then, the authorities have moved to improve cycling infrastructure.

Under the National Cycling Plan, there will be 700km of cycling paths by 2030, up from an estimated 250km now.

Cyclists and observers say safety is a key issue that must be addressed.

Avid cyclist Francis Chu started a bike-share scheme named Isuda around one-north two years ago, but ended it after members told him they felt unsafe cycling on roads in the area.

Mr Mohamed Salim, the chief executive of First Principle Financial, which offers bicycle insurance, said potential routes have to be safe and friendly to be appealing.

"As a cyclist myself, I wouldn't dare to cycle on the road in the CBD during rush hours."

He hopes membership for the scheme will be priced low to encourage people to sign up.

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in New York noted that many of the most successful systems share certain common features.

These include having a dense network of stations spaced about 300m apart, comfortable bikes with parts that discourage theft, a fully automated locking system that is easy to use, wireless tracking of bicycles, real-time user information and pricing structures that encourage short trips.

Transport consultant Tham Chen Munn said cycling policies must also be re-examined, such as allowing people to ride on footpaths and expanding bicycle crossing schemes to popular junctions.

The climate should not be an issue as trips are meant to be short and taken at a leisurely pace, he said.

"This alternative could be cheaper than the bus and there's definitely less waiting time."

Good infrastructure vital for bike-share to succeed
Experts call for seamless routes and bike-friendly road junctions
By Royston Sim, The Straits Times, 3 Jul 2014

A BIKE-SHARE trial to be rolled out by next year has the potential to be well received by commuters, but cycling infrastructure must be improved for it to succeed, said experts yesterday.

Off-road cycling paths are being built islandwide, but these will take time to complete and do not address safety concerns for cyclists on the roads, some noted. Meanwhile, it is illegal to ride on footpaths everywhere except in Tampines.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) identified five potential areas for a bike-share scheme in its call for proposals from industry players on Wednesday - Jurong Lake District, the city centre, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Sembawang.

Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng and Jurong GRC MP Ang Wei Neng said there is potential for bike-sharing to be popular in their constituencies, which have ready or upcoming cycling paths and a pool of cyclists.

Tampines GRC MP Irene Ng said she was glad LTA was asking for ideas and proposals before piloting such a scheme. But she had some reservations. Bike-sharing needs critical mass to work, and this will not be achieved if the infrastructure is inadequate.

"There needs to be greater improvement, with more seamless and dedicated cycling paths, more bike crossings, bike-friendly road junctions," she said, adding that routes need to be as free as possible of stops, and safe.

Though it is legal to cycle on footpaths in Tampines, some cyclists brave the roads as they offer a more seamless journey. "If we are serious about encouraging cycling as a mode of transport, we first have to understand the psychology of cyclists and provide the infrastructure," said Ms Ng.

Cycling paths are being built islandwide, and will total about 700km by 2030.

However, there is still no good solution for integrating cycling paths at road intersections where most accidents involving cyclists happen, said transport researcher Alexander Erath from the Singapore-ETH Centre.

"It would be desirable if there are paths for cyclists to make right turns without the need to wait for two pedestrian traffic lights," he said.

He also noted that if there are too many pedestrians and cyclists sharing paths, it can get uncomfortable for both parties.

Mr Ang, the Jurong MP, said pedestrians and cyclists can be taught how to co-exist. He plans to ride in his estate with grassroots volunteers to demonstrate proper cycling behaviour.

Dr Erath said community- based riding workshops and public campaigns on riding etiquette could be organised for people uncomfortable with cycling in an urban environment.

"Support from VIPs from politics and entertainment can help to mitigate potential stigma and display cycling as a desirable form of mobility," he added.

There are bike-share schemes in numerous cities, including London, Paris, Taipei and Madrid. Recently, the Spanish city launched an electric bike-share system.

Electric bike-share is a possibility at a later stage, when Singapore has a more widespread cycling network, said Dr Erath.

The Institute of Transportation and Development Policy in New York said successful bike-share systems should have, among other things, easy-to-use docking stations, 10 to 16 stations for every sq km and 10 to 30 bicycles available for every 1,000 residents in the coverage area, which should be a minimum of 10 sq km.

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