Cycling paths will be built in three housing estates - Ang Mo Kio, Choa Chu Kang and Toa Payoh- under a national drive to promote cycling as a cheaper, healthier and greener form of transport.

The latest move, announced on Saturday by Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, is part of the plan to provide all 26 HDB towns with a comprehensive cycling network of around 190km by 2020, so residents can cycle safely and easily to MRT stations and town centres.

"Cycling has become increasingly popular in Singapore in recent years, both as recreation and as a means of transport," said Dr Faishal, as he launched the ground-breaking ceremony for the upcoming Yishun cycling path network earlier in the morning.

He also revealed that construction of a cycling path network in Sembawang has completed, making it the second town after Tampines to have a full network for cyclists. Other new plans include beefing up support facilities for cycling so that cyclists will be able to transit between park connectors and MRT stations, as well as up overhead bridges more easily.