SINGAPORE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Singapore plans to build a comprehensive cycling network with bicycle paths connecting housing estates in the north, south, east and west to the city center.
It is one of the plans that were announced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority on Sunday for a car-lite city center, the Straits Times reported.
The LTA will be calling a tender in the coming months for companies to design and construct the proposed central area cycling network. But no fixed date for the project completion is unveiled.
Gopinath Menon, a senior transport research consultant at Nanyang Technological University, was quoted as saying that having more cycling paths will encourage people to cycle longer distances, which they are currently wary of trying because "they don't feel safe on the roads."
Safety is also an issue that hampers the development of bike-sharing business in Singapore, as some people criticize users for reckless riding. At present, two Chinese bike-sharing platforms, Ofo and Mobike, and their local rival oBike are running businesses here.
The LTA also announced that Singapore will allow commuters continue carrying foldable bikes and personal mobility devices on board public transport from June 1 following the end of a six-month trial.
