LTA removes 489 bicycles in 2026 as indiscriminate parking persists

The Land Transport Authority has removed 489 bicycles in the first 10 months of 2026, stepping up enforcement against indiscriminate parking. Residents and workers at estates like Admiralty Drive and Sembawang say obstructed walkways remain a daily frustration despite the increased efforts.

SINGAPORE — The Land Transport Authority (LTA) removed 489 bicycles in the first 10 months of 2026 as it ramps up enforcement against indiscriminate bicycle parking, particularly at MRT stations and transport nodes. Despite stepped-up action, residents and workers at Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates continue to report blocked walkways and letterboxes.

Postal worker Mdm Kua, 55, said she frequently has to move bicycles parked directly in front of letterboxes at Admiralty Drive before she can deliver mail. “When the bicycles are parked at the letterbox, I cannot work… so I have to carry (them away). It’s a difficulty for me,” she said. A 69-year-old Sembawang resident, Mrs Tan, said bicycles near the entrance of her block sometimes leave barely a metre of space to pass.

LTA said on 14 November that it removed 186 bicycles in the first half of 2026 and another 303 between July and October. Under recent amendments to the Land Transport and Related Matters Act passed last month, the period for owners to reclaim impounded bicycles will be cut from 30 days to seven days, with a further seven days’ notice before disposal.

At Admiralty MRT station, CNA observed cyclists parking in non-designated areas despite warning signs. Some claimed they were unaware of the restriction. Sembawang resident Mrs Tan suggested installing shelters over designated bicycle parking areas, noting that cyclists avoid parking in the open under sun or rain and instead leave bikes under HDB blocks.

Computer engineer Greg Tan, 45, said finding a slot at Admiralty MRT can be challenging even in the morning, while hardware worker Ms Cheng, 34, said haphazardly parked bicycles at Bukit Batok MRT sometimes leave little room to secure her own bike. LTA said indiscriminate parking is more common at key transport nodes during peak hours and that it is exploring ways to optimise space for additional bicycle parking.