1 The Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Parks Board (NParks) and 16 Town Councils (TCs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the five bicycle-sharing operators[1] in Singapore to encourage responsible operation of bicycle-sharing services in public spaces. The MoU lays out a set of mutually agreed guidelines[2] to reduce disamenities arising from bicycle-sharing services and improve public safety.
Key Requirements of MoU
2 Currently, bicycle-sharing operators are required by LTA to remove indiscriminately-parked shared bicycles within half a day. With the signing of the MoU, operators will take action to further reduce this occurrence by adopting geo-fencing technology before the end of this year. Geo-fencing enables the operators to know whether their bicycles have been parked within designated bicycle parking zones, and take measures to prevent indiscriminate parking from happening.
3 The operators will also embark on an education campaign on safe riding and responsible parking. All five operators have proactively taken concrete steps to do so by co-funding public education initiatives on safe riding and proper parking.
4 To provide better services, the operators will also remove faulty bicycles within a day, and provide public liability insurance for users. All operators have also agreed to share anonymised trip data with LTA, to facilitate the planning of active mobility infrastructure. Information of users will only be released to the relevant enforcement authority to facilitate investigation and enforcement work in the case of accidents resulting in injury, death or property damage.
5 The MoU applies to the operation of other shared active mobility devices, such as shared personal mobility devices and power-assisted bicycles. LTA will continue to take strict enforcement action against indiscriminate parking, and consider stronger regulatory measures if bicycle-sharing operators do not operate responsibly.
Providing More Bicycle Parking Spaces
6 To facilitate the parking of both privately-owned and shared bicycles, LTA, NParks, the 16 Town Councils and the bicycle-sharing operators have started to provide additional yellow bicycle parking boxes in HDB estates, parks, park connectors and at MRT stations and bus stops. More than 4,000 boxes, which can accommodate 20,000 bicycles, will be provided by end 2017.
ANNEX – INFOGRAPHICS ON THE BICYCLE SHARING MOU
