Bicycle registration carried on till 1982, when it was abolished due to the inconvenience and time-consuming chore of embossing bicycle numbers on its frame. However, owners faced greater risk of getting their bicycles stolen after the registration policy was abolished. With the increase in wealth and the emergence of comfier and safer modes of transportation such as cars, bicycles were thus increasingly used for recreational purposes and short distance travels.
Today, apart from postage services that have been using bicycles for deliveries, bicycles are used as an affordable and accessible alternative to motorised vehicles by delivery riders inspired to take up the role in the wake of a rise in delivery services during the pandemic. Unlike motor vehicles, bicycle users can avoid the hassle of bidding on the increasing prices of Certificate of Entitlement (COE), the vehicle quota system implemented since 1990, and other maintenance and miscellaneous fees. Bicycles are used more commonly for work and also for short distances to main transportation hubs such as train and bus interchanges.
People have also taken to the roads with the emergence of road cycling as a recreational activity. Bicycle races and competitions are also popular in the Singapore scene, with the first Tour de France criterium race in South-east Asia hosted by Singapore in 2022. Extension of pedestrian pathways to accommodate bicycle lanes, and the construction of bicycling trails around Singapore’s scenic and green spaces has further encouraged Singaporeans to engage in bicycling activities.
While bicycles might have retreated to the recreational sphere, it has always been a transportation tool cherished for its simplicity and its ability to get us to places where we need be.
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