The coronavirus pandemic has given us plenty of time to rethink how we live, work and play. And, says researcher Samuel Chng, it could be that now is the time to think about how we use transport to get around, maybe even relook the role of the car.

Singapore, October 2020. The rapid adoption of digital technologies for learning or working from home following the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed how people travel within Singapore. Data from transport tracker Moovit indicated a significant 77% decline in Singaporeans taking public transport during the circuit breaker period, in April and May. 

Since easing circuit breaker measures in May, schools have resumed face-to-face lessons, and employees are gradually returning to workplaces. The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced it would allow more people to return to offices but stressed that employers should stagger reporting times and implement flexible schedules to help avoid travel during peak hours. All these changes were noted by the government.

"The lower traffic and new travel patterns brought about by COVID-19 have opened a window of opportunity (for us) to re-imagine our road infrastructure," said Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung recently. Researchers underline this potential for change, and are calling for changes that not only continue to meet Singapore’s mobility needs but also lead to a more environmentally sustainable transport system. 

Many assert that Singapore now has a unique window of opportunity to encourage the use of micromobility devices such as bicycles, electric bicycles, and motorised and non-motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) - for short-distance travel. 

Several cities including Berlin, Paris and Seattle have seen an increase in biking and micromobility devices following COVID-19. These modes have been widely viewed as safer, less contagion-likely and accessible alternatives to shared public transport. Indeed, many cities are also rapidly expanding their infrastructure including carving bike lanes out of existing vehicular roads. And as well as being healthier and  more environmentally sustainable, research has shown that using active modes such as walking and cycling are associated with better physical and mental wellbeing. 

However, while electric bicycles are allowed on roads, cycling paths and park connectors, motorised PMDs are confined to cycling paths and park connectors. Both are not allowed on footpaths for pedestrian safety. So despite the Singaporean cycling path network (currently 460km) being expanded threefold, it could be 2030 before it is a viable alternative for everyday travel.

Understandably, car ownership is still high in Singapore, and private vehicle ownership rates remain significant. There were 528,013 (54%) private cars among the 973,101 of total registered vehicles in 2019. And to service all those cars, more 12% of land in Singapore was taken up by 9,509 lane-km of roads in 2019. Car ownership and provision in Singapore more than meets existing mobility needs, and is still often used as a sign of relative affluence and social standing.

But things are changing. There seems to be a burgeoning rethink of the relationship with cars among younger people worldwide, as they view private cars as depreciating liabilities and less environmentally sustainable than the plethora of alternative mobility options available today. 

This is borne out by the fact that before the pandemic hit, Singaporean public transport clocked a daily average of 7.69 million trips in 2019, with a peak hour mode share of more than 67% - much higher than many other cities. The challenge lies in further improving the share of public transport ridership: in working towards a car-lite vision for Singapore.

The first step must be towards improving and expanding public transport systems. The second, providing alternative modes of transport. And the third, managing private vehicle population and usage. Policies such as expanding the road charging, revising vehicle growth rate down, phasing out internal combustion engines, increasing the capacity of the mass rapid transit (MRT) and bus systems, and expanding cycling infrastructure should all nudge city dwellers to rethink their relationship with cars.

And because Singapore’s goal is to be car-lite, not car-free, it is worth reviewing how new cars can contribute towards achieving sustainable mobility. Some planners suggest alternatives such as moving to fewer private vehicles – but speeding up the adoption of electric vehicles powered by renewable energy sources.

Additional mobility innovations such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) could also make a huge impact on transport. MaaS, described as the “Netflix of urban transport” can integrate both private and public modes of transport on demand. MaaS offerings include MobilityX and Whim, both under development or trial in Singapore. Both offer integrated taxi, ridesharing, and public transport options that mesh into one journey platform. This means a commuter could start a journey on a hire bicycle, then catch an MRT before taking a ride-share to the final destination - all optimised and charged using an app. 

Additionally, driverless vehicles could change the way Singaporeans travel. AV trials have been taking place across Singapore for several years now, with more to follow soon in neighbourhoods like Punggol, Tengah and Jurong Innovation District. Electric AVs could provide round the clock on-demand services; this would dramatically improve first- and last-mile connectivity, areas currently notably underserved by public transport. This could provide an additional nudge to drivers reconsidering driving.

All of these options provide attractive, convenient alternatives to the petrol-driven status quo, and ones that are cheaper and more sustainable too. COVID-19 has brought about changes to our travel; planners should capitalise on this opportunity to pause and rethink the strategy for achieving a car-lite and sustainable mobility vision for Singapore.

Samuel Chng is an applied social and environmental psychologist who heads the Urban Psychology Lab at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. His research focuses on the understanding and changing decision-making processes and behaviour patterns in the areas of sustainability and technology.