FOLDABLE bicycles will be allowed on trains and public buses during off-peak hours from March 15, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Teo Ser Luck announced in Parliament on Thursday.

The go-ahead comes after a six-month trial from May to November last year, as part of several initiatives to meet the transport needs of diverse groups of commuters.

FOLDABLE BICYCLE SCHEME GENERAL GUIDELINES Cyclists are responsible for the safe carriage of their foldable bicycles and must stay in the vicinity of their foldable bicycles at all times. Foldable bicycles should be folded at all times in the MRT/ LRT stations, bus interchanges/ terminals and on trains and buses. Foldable bicycles should not exceed 114 cm by 64 cm by 36 cm when folded. The wheels of a foldable bicycle should be wrapped up if they are dirty or wet. Protruding parts likely to cause injury or dirty / damage property are to be covered up. Foldable bicycles should not block the aisles and doors or impede commuter movement at any time. Foldable bicycles should be carried in an upright position. Only one foldable bicycle is allowed on each bus at any one time. When travelling by train, cyclists should use the first or last car, which is less crowded. Cyclists should use the lifts and wide fare gates at MRT/ LRT stations where these are available. Foldable bicycles are not allowed on the upper deck of a bus or placed on the staircase leading to the upper deck. Foldable bicycles are allowed during the following operating hours: - Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 4.00pm, 8.00 pm to end of operating hours - All day on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays SMRT / SBS Transit station staff and bus drivers may disallow foldable bicycles if the actual situation within an MRT/ LRT station, bus interchange/ terminal or on board a train / bus does not permit foldable bicycles to be admitted safely and without inconveniencing other commuters. ... more

During the trial, foldable bicycles were allowed on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains during off-peak hours on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays.

This pilot was extended to public buses from last May to November.

During the trial, an average of 70 foldable bicycles were brought on board trains each week, and two foldable bicycles on board public buses, said the Land Transport Authority on Thursday.

At the same time, LTA conducted on-site surveys of more than 1,000 bus and train commuters. Eight out of 10 of train commuters and about seven out of 10 bus commuters supported the initiative.

During the trial, LTA also engaged commuters, cyclists, bus captains, service leaders, train operators, and the public transport operators to ensure the safety and comfort of commuters, while catering to the needs of cyclists.

Mr Jeremy Yap, LTA's Group Director for Vehicle and Transit Licensing said: 'Implementation of this scheme is possible owing to the social graciousness and mutual accommodation of commuters.

'As a way forward, we hope that cyclists and other commuters will continue to be considerate to one another so that more people can use our public transport system to meet their diverse travel needs. We would like to thank everyone for their participation, support and feedback.'

Added Mr Gan Juay Kiat, Chief Operating Officer of SBS Transit: 'Moving forward, we would like to encourage and remind cyclists with foldable bikes to be considerate and mindful towards fellow passengers by not placing their bikes on seats or blocking the way of others.

'In situations when the buses are crowded, we also seek their understanding and cooperation with our Bus Captains who have to turn them away for the safety of other passengers on board.'

Mr Tommy Lam, cycling enthusiast, also welcomed the move.

He said: 'I am very happy because LTA and the transport operators recognise that there is a niche group of foldable bike cyclists who commute to work or leisure by public transport.

'I am very lucky that my work starts from noon, so I can use my foldable bike to work. I like best the idea of foldable bikes allowed on all hours on weekends and public holidays! I am thankful for that because those are the days when I will most likely commute with my bike the whole day. During weekends and public holidays, I can travel in the early morning to the East Coast Park for my leisurely rides and be back in the late evening with the easy option of taking the bus or MRT.'

Mr Lionel Loh, a Nanyang Technological University undergraduate, who uses the public transport, said the scheme gives flexibility to those who engage in an active lifestyle and at the same time supports cycling as an alternative mode of transport for short-distance travel.

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