\nArtist\u2019s impression of an elevated cycling path in Ang Mo Kio. Source: URA
\nDrivers in Singapore spend nine hours commuting on the roads each week instead of engaging in leisure activities, according to a new study by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Singapore and the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC).
\nIn fact, the average motorist wastes a total of 2,549 hours, or 106 days of their lives, looking for a parking spot.
\nThe study also revealed that road traffic accidents account for 2.2 percent of all deaths globally, making it the ninth leading cause of death.
\nRequiring road space and two to six parking spaces, a car occupies more land than most urban homes, while walking, cycling and public transit require far less space.
\nOn average, cars spend 80 percent of the time parked in the owner\u2019s home, four percent in motion and 16 percent parked elsewhere, most notably in urban areas.
\nMeanwhile, public transit provides seniors with independence, with more than four in five seniors believing that public transportation is a better alternative to driving alone, especially at night.
\nIf ride sharing were to replace conventional traffic on the roads, the number of vehicles each day would fall by 90 percent, or 65 percent during peak hours, noted the report.
\nTraffic casualty rates also tend to drop as public transit travel increases in an area.
\nEntitled \u201cCreating Liveable Cities through Car-lite Urban Mobility\u201d, the study aims to provide practical recommendations on moving cities towards a more sustainable mobility future that complements the Singapore government\u2019s ongoing efforts.
\nLast Saturday (9 July), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched a 4km cycling path in Ang Mo Kio as part of the town\u2019s makeover.
\nThe Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Parks Board (NParks) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also announced that works for the Round Island Route (RIR), which is a continuous 150km park connector that goes around the island, are set to start by the end of the year.
\n\u201cSingapore is already one of the forerunning cities in the world when it comes to promoting sustainable mobility,\u201d said CLC Executive Director Khoo Teng Chye.
\n\u201cLooking ahead, going car-lite is something that should happen to make the city-state more liveable. The more important thing is to really approach mobility from people\u2019s perspective, not cars,\u201d he added.
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