SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is seeking proposals on how best to implement bicycle-sharing in Singapore.

The government agency on Wednesday issued a Request for Information (RFI) today asking for proposals and views from the industry. The findings of the RFI are also expected to shed light on the various sponsorship and operating models.

In a statement on Wednesday, LTA said bicycle-sharing "is an alternative mobility option that will facilitate cycling as a convenient and affordable means to make short trips and complement the public transport system by connecting commuters to public transport nodes".

The envisioned set up would be "a self-service public bicycle rental scheme with a network of bicycles distributed around an area", with users likely being charged a fee for short-term usage. Interested parties can access the document on the Government Electronic Business platform.

Under the Land Transport Master Plan 2013, over 700 km of cycling paths will be provided island-wide by 2030. "The bicycle sharing scheme will be useful especially for those who wish to cycle but do not own bicycles, or prefer the convenience of using shared bicycles for one-way trips," read the LTA statement.

The RFI is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2014. LTA will then call a tender to launch the bicycle-sharing pilot by end-2015 in areas with completed or soon-to-be completed cycling path networks, such as the Jurong Lake district and city centre, subject to interest from potential service providers.