Why able-bodied commuters are using PMAs.

Cars take up more space but ferry fewer.

Why fewer cars will not slow the economy

More car space induces traffic jams here

Micro-mobility saves commute time, money

Weather is fine for first and last miles

Shifting mindsets: roads as public space

While more car lanes induce congestion, reclaiming road space for micro-mobility would make for a highly efficient transport.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

New rules for Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) kicked in on June 1, slashing speeds to 6 km/h and requiring medical certificates to crack down on able-bodied riders.

But as pedestrians, e-bikes, and gig workers continue to squeeze onto narrow pavements, are we fighting over the wrong patch of concrete as Singapore embarks on a car-lite journey?

In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with associate professor Yap Fook Fah from Transport Research Centre@NTU. They discuss why it is unsafe for micro-mobility devices to travel on Singapore’s roads, and his argument for allocating more space to transport modes that take up less room but have the capacity to ferry more people.

Yap also discusses why regulations alone won't fix our active mobility woes, the illusion of induced demand for cars, and how aggressively reclaiming car lanes might be the ultimate, sweat-free solution to Singapore’s last-mile commute and congested feeder buses.

Highlights (click/tap above): 

6:27 The mobility gap: why able-bodied commuters are using PMAs 

14:07 Cars take up more space but ferry fewer people

16:30 Why fewer cars would not slow the economy 

17:57 How allocating more space for cars would induce traffic congestion 

26:22 How integrating micro-mobility transport could save hundreds of millions of dollars in commute time

29:42 The weather isn’t hot for the first and last mile commute

34:19 Shifting the mindsets to view roads as public space instead of car space

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v

Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) 

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast 

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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#inyouropinion

While more car lanes induce congestion, reclaiming road space for micro-mobility would make for a highly efficient transport.
Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
New rules for Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) kicked in on June 1, slashing speeds to 6 km/h and requiring medical certificates to crack down on able-bodied riders.
But as pedestrians, e-bikes, and gig workers continue to squeeze onto narrow pavements, are we fighting over the wrong patch of concrete as Singapore embarks on a car-lite journey?
In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with associate professor Yap Fook Fah from Transport Research Centre@NTU. They discuss why it is unsafe for micro-mobility devices to travel on Singapore&rsquo;s roads, and his argument for allocating more space to transport modes that take up less room but have the capacity to ferry more people.
Yap also discusses why regulations alone won't fix our active mobility woes, the illusion of induced demand for cars, and how aggressively reclaiming car lanes might be the ultimate, sweat-free solution to Singapore&rsquo;s last-mile commute and congested feeder buses.
Highlights (click/tap above):&nbsp;
6:27 The mobility gap: why able-bodied commuters are using PMAs&nbsp;
14:07 Cars take up more space but ferry fewer people
16:30 Why fewer cars would not slow the economy&nbsp;
17:57 How allocating more space for cars would induce traffic congestion&nbsp;
26:22 How integrating micro-mobility transport could save hundreds of millions of dollars in commute time
29:42 The weather isn&rsquo;t hot for the first and last mile commute
34:19 Shifting the mindsets to view roads as public space instead of car space
Read ST&rsquo;s Opinion section:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sH"> https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/Gm2v">https://str.sg/Gm2v</a>
Host: Lynda Hong (<a href="mailto:lyndahong@sph.com.sg">lyndahong@sph.com.sg</a>)&nbsp;
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wukb"> https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sV"> https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>&nbsp;
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#inyouropinion

A hard look at the social issues of the month in Singapore. Join ST journalists and other guests as they discuss with Lydia Wong.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.