HOW EXISTING BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AFFECTS PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF INTRA-TOWN CYCLING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich take public transport. It is where the rich walk and where they use bikes. We should create cities where rich and poor meet as equals: in parks, on the pavements, on public transport.” (Wiking, 2017)

The key to a great city lies in its transportation system. How citizens are able to travel within their city for their daily activities affects not only the environmental sustainability of the city but also the physical and mental health of its citizens. Many cities such as Amsterdam, Netherlands and Taiwan, point to cycling as a fundamental aspect of a good transport system. Cycling is not only environmentally sustainable – it is accessible to citizens across economic classes and comes with health advantages as well.

Despite Singapore’s consistent efforts in developing a well-balanced land transportation system, the city still lacks a cycling culture. Cycling rates stagnated at 1-2% for several years. The government has piloted new infrastructure in neighbourhoods meant to facilitate cyclists and encourage citizens to cycle for intra-town journeys. However, there is a lack of research in terms of how effective these infrastructural changes have been. Hence, this research revolves around the key objective of investigating if current bicycle infrastructure can increase the public’s willingness of intra-town cycling.

A review of existing literature was carried out to understand potential barriers and drivers to intra-town cycling. Existing bicycle infrastructure was also identified. A case study of a successful cycling city was also conducted. The literature review helped shape the framework of data collection.

Next, online surveys were conducted. The most top three barriers to intra-town cycling were difficulty in obtaining a bicycle, risk of getting caught in the rain and risk of excessive perspiration. Top drivers were lowest cost, highest speed and benefits for physical health. Respondents were asked about the impact of the existing bicycle infrastructure available in neighbourhoods on their willingness to cycle for intra-town journeys.

Lastly, recommendations were made pertaining to the development of infrastructure that would effectively facilitate an increase in intra-town cycling in Singapore.