SINGAPORE - Cyclists will be able to ride on a dedicated on-road cycling lane along West Camp Road in Seletar on Sunday mornings from Oct 16.

The lane will be set aside for cyclists every Sunday from 5am to 11am under a six-month trial, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday.

It will run in both directions of the road and be demarcated by solid blue lines.

From 5am to 11am on Sundays, the lane can be used only by buses and cyclists, and cyclists will be able to ride in groups larger than 10.

Cars and personal mobility device users will be barred from using the lane during those hours.

The upcoming trial at Seletar was first announced by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng in March during the debate on his ministry's budget.

He said then that the Government had capped cycling group sizes at five when riding in single file and 10 when riding abreast since January, to improve safety of on-road cycling.

"However, we heard the desire of cyclists to cycle in larger groups," he added.There is currently only one dedicated on-road cycling lane in Singapore, along Tanah Merah Coast Road in Changi East.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, an LTA spokesman said West Camp Road was selected for the trial because of its popularity with on-road cyclists. Based on observations, vehicular traffic is relatively low from 5am to 11am, with cyclists making up about 85 per cent of road users. 

The spokesman added: “This trial allows us to study if it is feasible to allocate road space for cycling according to demand... LTA will assess whether there is any impact on traffic as well as gather feedback from users about their experience.”

Singapore Cycling Federation president Hing Siong Chen said it has been discussing the trial with LTA since 2021. 

“Since Covid-19 started, we have seen more recreational and sports cyclists. This dedicated bike lane will provide a safer riding environment for both beginners and experienced riders, and can also cater to families who cycle together,” he said.

Mr Adrian Yeo, leader of recreational cycling group BPR Cycling Club, sees the trial as a positive step and hopes it will encourage the adoption of cycling as a sustainable means of transport.

The 42-year-old, who cycles twice a week at Seletar Aerospace and Tanah Merah Coast Road with the group, said: “LTA has done a lot in recent years. Perhaps there could be more dialogue between cyclists and motorists on creating a safe environment as we share use of the roads.”

Recreational cycling group LoveCycling SG co-founder Francis Chu said the trial will be useful as a test to see if rules can be further relaxed, with larger groups allowed to ride together.

“I hope more can be done to encourage people to take up cycling as a mode of transport, such as having continuous footpaths along main roads and protected bike lanes in the Central Business District,” he added.