Pedestrians complain about bicycles blocking the walkway near a LRT station, raise concerns of tripping or being hit

SINGAPORE: Numerous bicycles were seen haphazardly parked on a walkway near the Boon Lay MRT station, and it caused some passersby to complain that these were obstructing their passageway. 

A reporter from Shin Min Daily News visited the area and discovered that there were bicycle racks set up next to the station, but these were not fully utilised. With this, some cyclists shared that they are parking their bicycles on the covered walkway to prevent them from getting wet in the rain. 

A 72-year-old passerby pointed out that this situation has been going on for quite some time now. She shared that because of the construction nearby, the covered walkway was built for people to travel from the MRT station to the nearby HDB estate. However, due to the parked bicycles, the space for people to walk into had been limited. 

She also revealed that the walkway becomes very crowded during rush hour or on rainy days. She admitted: “There are often bicycles riding around here, and I worry about being hit or tripped.”

More so, another passerby stated that she accepts the situation, given that she can still pass by the walkway. “Although the bicycle blocked part of the walkway, I can accept it, since there is still a way to walk,” she said. 

Looking from the perspective of a cyclist, a 26-year-old warehouse worker shared that he moved nearby and rides his bicycle to the subway station every single day. He would then park his bicycle in the aisle because he saw other people doing the same thing. 

“The local weather is unpredictable, and it often rains suddenly. If you park on the rack, it will get completely wet when it rains. So everyone chooses to park in the aisle,” another rider remarked, given that the authorities installed the bicycle racks in the open air. 

Given the situation, the Land Transport Authority reminds cyclists to park their bicycles in the respective parking areas. 

“Law enforcement officers conduct regular patrols and notify bicycle owners, reminding them not to park their bicycles haphazardly. Signs have also been placed on-site to remind riders to use designated bicycle parking areas,” LTA stated. 

Furthermore, LTA clarified that parking of bicycles outside the designated areas is considered illegal, and reminds the public to provide their feedback to the authorities. 

In previous news, there was a report last year when some members of the public complained and were concerned about how pedestrians and cyclists were clashing for space near the bus stop area of the Serangoon MRT station. 

Some groups of pedestrians occupy the bike lanes, and at the same time, cyclists ride at high speeds in the lanes. 

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