App with weather and route guidance for cyclists among youth proposals to improve S’pore transport
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(From left) Nicholas Peck Jun Le, Chung Tzu Chi, Gary Yin Kian Lee, Radhakrishnan Srivarshini and Jayaraman Sophia Rita are part of a group that presented a proposal for a one-stop platform integrating cycling information and journey-planning tools to cater to different cyclist profiles.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
- Youth created a cycling app to support diverse cyclists in Singapore, offering features like weather alerts, route preferences, and obstruction warnings for safer, more convenient rides.
- The Youth Panel for Transport, formed in 2026, involved over 35 young people developing inclusive transport proposals, which will inform the Land Transport Master Plan Refresh in 2027.
- Other proposals focus on helping seniors travel independently, improving wayfinding, assessing bus stop comfort, and offering personalised travel incentives to ease peak congestion.
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SINGAPORE – Radhakrishnan Srivarshini, 24, enjoys cycling along the Kallang Park Connector for exercise.
She prefers segregated paths to avoid colliding with pedestrians and vehicles, but when exploring new routes, applications like Google Maps sometimes divert her to walkways and busy roads. Google Maps also does not warn her about possible bad weather.
This was one gap in Singapore’s transport system that she and four other young people identified. So, they decided to create an app that would address the challenges cyclists face as Singapore moves towards becoming a car-lite society.
Called Gear Up, the app was one of seven ideas presented by more than 35 young people to Baey Yam Keng, Minister of State for Transport and for Culture, Community and Youth, at an event held at the Asian Civilisations Museum on Sept 26.
Over three months, the teams, with members aged between 17 and 33, developed their proposals to make everyday journeys more inclusive, comfortable and convenient.
They are part of Youth Panel for Transport, the first of four panels that will provide opportunities for young people to work alongside government agencies to develop recommendations for a better Singapore.
Formed in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the National Youth Council earlier in 2026, the panel for transport is part of the SG Youth Plan.
On the app for cyclists, Srivarshini said: “There’s really no one app that can serve the wide, diverse range of cyclists in Singapore.”
The group identified six different cyclist profiles. These include food delivery riders who prioritise getting to their destinations quickly, leisure cyclists who prefer cycling paths and are likely to be weather-conscious, and road cyclists for whom the activity is a serious form of exercise.
After engaging with almost 50 cyclists through surveys and interviews, the group proposed a consolidated cycling app with features meeting the various needs of different cyclists. These include bicycle-friendly routing, weather overlays, route preferences, parking availability, obstruction alerts, dynamic rerouting and user feedback.
The Youth Panel for Transport presented their proposals at the Asian Civilisations Museum on Sept 26.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Srivarshini said her group hopes the app, or some of its features, will be incorporated into the MyTransport.SG app, which caters to public transport commuters.
“It’s a trusted government app. So if our proposal is successful, the app users can find out cycling information, bus information and MRT information all in one place.”
Inclusivity was a common issue raised by other groups. Some proposals addressed ways to help seniors travel independently and confidently through personal mobility aids that can be shared within the community, while others highlighted how wayfinding and transit space design could improve navigation for people with diverse needs.
Other ideas include assessing commuters’ thermal comfort at bus stops, and offering personalised travel incentives to address congestion during peak periods.
Speaking at the event, Baey said the issues raised reflect sentiments the Ministry of Transport has been hearing through broader engagements for the Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) Refresh.
It is a national initiative slated for release in 2027 by the Land Transport Authority to update the country’s land transport road map through public feedback.
As members of the youth panel developed their solutions, Baey said many would have started with a simple idea before realising that transport challenges are “rarely straightforward”.
He added that the process would have highlighted the careful trade-offs transport planners have to make when determining the future direction for Singapore.
“Balancing the different needs of commuters is often one of the most challenging aspects of transport planning,” he said.
Baey said the ministry will review the proposals, which will help inform the LTMP Refresh.
At the event, he also announced the start of registration for the three other youth panels. Registration can be done through the National Youth Council’s channels.
Those interested can sign up for the panels focusing on building a youth-friendly city, exploring the benefits of sport, and improving the process of buying HDB flats.