‘Very inconvenient’: Residents, shop owners frustrated by indiscriminately parked bicycles despite stepped-up enforcement
The Land Transport Authority has removed 489 bicycles in the first 10 months of 2026 as it ramps up efforts to tackle the issue.
Two boys walk past a ‘No Parking’ sign next to the designated bicycle parking area at Paya Lebar MRT station, Nov 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
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SINGAPORE: For 55-year-old postal worker Mdm Kua, delivering mail at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) estate in Admiralty Drive often starts with heavy lifting before she can even reach the letterbox.
Almost every day, bicycles and personal mobility devices are left directly in front of letterboxes, forcing her to physically move them aside in order to carry out her job.
The SingPost worker of 15 years said: “When the bicycles are parked at the letterbox, I cannot work… so I have to carry (them away). It’s a difficulty for me.
“There’s no way for me to do my job. I have to open the (letterbox) door.”
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Elsewhere, a 69-year-old Sembawang resident told CNA about the daily obstacle course she faces in order to get home. Mrs Tan, who wanted to be known only by her surname, said bicycles parked near the entrance of the block she walks through to get to her estate sometimes leave barely enough room for people to pass.
“(It’s) horrible. Sometimes, there’s maybe only a metre for you to pass through,” she said.
Their frustrations reflect a perennial issue of indiscriminate bicycle parking across Singapore’s heartlands and transport hubs, even as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has stepped up efforts to tackle the problem.
In response to CNA’s queries, a spokesperson on Saturday (Nov 14) said LTA has been “stepping up efforts to address indiscriminate bicycle parking and remove derelict bicycles”, particularly at high-traffic locations such as MRT stations and other key transport nodes, to keep public passageways clear and free up parking spaces for other cyclists.
Bicycles obstructing public passageways may be relocated to designated parking areas or impounded and subsequently disposed of if unclaimed.
LTA said it removed 186 bicycles from bicycle parking areas at key transport nodes and other locations in the first half of 2026, followed by another 303 between July and October.
A bicycle may be considered derelict if it has been abandoned or left in a state of disrepair. This means the bicycle is heavily rusted, missing key components like wheels or a saddle, or left unused at the same location for an extended period.
Bicycles that have not been moved for more than seven days and show signs of disuse may be tagged for removal, and notices are issued to owners who park indiscriminately, said the LTA spokesperson.
Pointing to recent amendments to the Land Transport and Related Matters Act passed last month, LTA said the period for owners to reclaim impounded bicycles will be cut from 30 days to seven days, with a further seven days’ notice before they are disposed of.
This will facilitate the timely disposal of unclaimed bicycles and free up capacity at holding yards to support ongoing enforcement efforts, said the spokesperson.
INCONVENIENCE CAUSED
Despite the authorities’ efforts, indiscriminate bicycle parking continues to hinder residents, workers as well as other cyclists in some hotspots near transport nodes.
On Saturday, CNA visited nine locations, including MRT stations and residential areas across Singapore.
At most MRT stations visited, bicycles were parked neatly without obstructing pedestrian access, but there were still some bicycles that were inappropriately chained to pillars or railings along sheltered walkways.
The problem appeared more acute at Paya Lebar and Admiralty MRT stations, where several rows of bicycles could be seen parked outside designated lots.
Postal worker Mdm Kua, who did not want to be identified by her full name, said she frequently encounters bicycles obstructing walkways at HDB blocks along Admiralty Drive.
With many elderly residents in the estate, including wheelchair users, she has seen some struggle to get past the parked bicycles.
“Sometimes the owner has to think about the others’ needs,” she said.
Town councils are responsible for managing and maintaining common areas in HDB estates and may remove and detain any object obstructing the lawful use of any common property.
At Admiralty MRT station, CNA observed cyclists parking their bicycles in non-designated areas despite multiple signs warning against it. Most declined to speak when approached.
A group of three cyclists who parked their bicycles inappropriately claimed they were unaware that parking was prohibited there, adding that they stopped there only for a short while to withdraw cash from the MRT station. They left about five minutes later.
At a nearby bus stop, Admiralty resident, 52-year-old Mdm Zaripah, said she frequently saw bicycles parked outside designated areas but felt there was “nothing that can be done”.
Confronting cyclists for their actions could invite hostile responses and risk being accused of being a “kaypoh” (Hokkien for “busybody”), she said.
Mdm Kua, the postal worker, said she too encounters hostility when urging cyclists not to park at letterboxes.
Her requests are also sometimes met with irritation as well as half-hearted attempts to move the bicycles.
“(If) I still cannot fit in, then ‘bo pian’ (Hokkien for “no choice”), I have to carry (the bikes). Sometimes we try to keep quiet and do our job, (but it’s) very inconvenient for us,” she said.
Mr Bryan Lee, who works at homeware store Good Price Hub in Bukit Batok, said customers occasionally leave their bicycles near the shop, obstructing the walkway.
Some react unhappily when asked to move their bicycles, he said.
LIMITED PARKING, LACK OF SHELTER IN DESIGNATED SPOTS
Sembawang resident Mrs Tan suggested installing shelters over bicycle parking areas to discourage indiscriminate parking.
“Cyclists don’t want to park their bicycles under the sun, rain so they park their bikes under HDB blocks,” she said, adding that this leaves open-air parking spaces going to “waste”.
Computer engineer Greg Tan, 45, said he faces occasional difficulties finding bicycle parking at MRT stations.
He cycles every morning before work and often makes a quick stop at Admiralty MRT station for breakfast, parking his bicycle at the designated lots before heading home.
“There’s usually a lot of bicycles parked even in the morning so finding a slot might be a bit challenging,” he said. But this had not happened frequently enough to become a major inconvenience for him, he added.
The problem also affects other cyclists like Ms Cheng too, as finding a suitable parking spot can also be a challenge.
The 34-year-old, who works in the hardware industry and wanted to be known only by her surname, cycles to work daily and usually parks outside West Mall or near Bukit Batok MRT station.
But bicycles parked haphazardly sometimes leave little room for her to secure her own. “On Saturday, Sunday, it’s usually a bit difficult to park,” she said.
Despite this, she continues using the same parking areas because of their convenience for her daily commute.
LTA EXPLORING HOW TO OPTIMISE SPACE
In its reply to CNA, LTA said indiscriminate bicycle parking is more commonly seen at key transport nodes, where demand for bicycle parking tends to be higher during peak commuting hours.
“This may result in temporary pressure on available parking spaces, rather than necessarily indicating a shortage of parking facilities or a mismatch in their locations.
“The presence of derelict bicycles at designated parking areas can also reduce the number of spaces available to active cyclists,” the authority said.
Signage and banners have also been put up to remind cyclists to park responsibly, particularly at locations with higher incidences of indiscriminate parking.
LTA added that it is exploring ways to optimise available space for additional bicycle parking where feasible, as well as working with development and building owners to identify alternative parking locations nearby.
As Singapore’s cycling path network continues to grow, the authority said it will continue to review and expand bicycle parking facilities at key transport nodes to better meet cyclists’ needs.
“We encourage all cyclists to park responsibly and make use of designated bicycle parking facilities where available.”
Additional reporting by Wallace Woon
Source: CNA/ng(nj)
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