There are now 40,000 bicycles used by two operators in Singapore for bike-sharing. — TODAY pic
The company quietly left the market during the circuit breaker in April and May that saw restrictions imposed on movemnet and activities. Both operators attributed the increase in ridership and time spent on the rides to more cyclists making short trips within their neighbourhood and avoiding public transport during the pandemic.
Anywheel bicycles are being deployed to “townships”, Htay said, explaining that trips taken within housing estates have become “much more common during this period”. Agreeing, Oh said that SG Bike will “continue to work towards the fourth mode of transport in Singapore”. While operators are seeing a rosy future for bicycle-sharing, transport analysts interviewed by TODAY were less optimistic.
“There may be an increase in ridership but if it’s only 20 people doing it is it going to increase enough? I doubt that.”