SINGAPORE - Residents in Tampines Avenue 1, 4, 5 and 8 can now cycle with greater ease and safety from their homes to Tampines West MRT station and Our Tampines Hub.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Saturday (Jan 29) launched 4km of cycling paths - linking homes, schools, key amenities, and green spaces like Tampines Central Park and Tampines Green Forest Park.
There are now 25km of cycling paths and park connectors within the town, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said at the launch.
"This makes Tampines one of the towns with the most comprehensive cycling path network," he noted.
The town was earmarked as Singapore's second walking and cycling town in 2017. Ang Mo Kio, the first, currently has 4km of cycling paths.
LTA previously announced plans to triple the length of Tampines' cycling path network, which connects three MRT stations - Tampines, Tampines East and Tampines West.
Saturday's launch marks the completion of the first phase of cycling path works.
"Many residents have already started using the new paths over the past few weeks to travel from their homes to the Tampines Downtown Line MRT stations, bus interchange and various amenities in Tampines Central, including here at Our Tampines Hub," Mr Masagos added.
Along the new cycling paths, safety markings and speed-regulating strips have been installed.
Mr Masagos said: "Having ridden on the cycling paths earlier, I am pleased with how smooth and pleasant the ride was."
Five pedestrian crossings along the cycling routes have been widened to ensure safety for cyclists and pedestrians. "Coupled with the existing 19 bicycle crossings, cyclists can now enjoy a safer and more seamless cycling experience in Tampines," said LTA.
Improvement works were also carried out to create space for cycling paths behind 13 bus stops.
To help people find their way around the estate, mapboards highlighting key amenities and transport nodes have been placed at the junctions of Tampines Avenue 5 and 8 as well as Tampines Avenue 8 and 1.
The authority said it will continue to work with other agencies to further expand the cycling path network. It announced in 2017 that the network in Tampines will be extended to about 21km by 2022.
There are currently 14km of cycling paths completed by the LTA in Tampines.
In response to queries, an LTA spokesman said: "We are assessing the feasibility and timeline of the Tampines Town Phase 2 Cycling Path Network in view of the impact of Covid-19 on the construction sector. We will provide more details when ready."
Singapore plans to have 1,300km of cycling paths by 2030 in a push for a car-lite nation, supported by other initiatives to boost train and bus services.
There are currently 500km of cycling paths in Singapore, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng.
"This is very important because we want to promote active mobility and create more spaces for different users," he added.
New cycling paths are being built and completed in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Bukit Panjang.
Last October, LTA rolled out a 5.6km-long cycling path in Taman Jurong that connects to a 15km network in the Jurong Lake District.
