Debated in Parliament on 3 Oct 2022.
Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for National Development (a) how often are the mountain biking trails such as those at Bukit Timah, Mandai T15, Chestnut South and North maintained; (b) whether additional resources can be provided to improve the drainage and maintenance of the mountain biking trails; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider expanding the number of mountain biking trails in Singapore.
The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over 28 kilometres of mountain biking trails in our nature parks and areas, such as at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Chestnut Nature Park and Pulau Ubin.
As part of our maintenance regime, each trail is inspected once every three months. In between scheduled inspections, we will conduct additional inspections, if there are prolonged periods of heavy rainfall or reports of trail-related issues. Following each inspection, NParks will carry out repair works as necessary. Through regular maintenance, NParks keeps our trails in good condition for the safety of mountain bikers, while preventing damage to the surrounding environment.
Given that most mountain biking trails are situated in our nature parks, constructing more of such trails could have an adverse impact on our natural habitats, including our flora and fauna. We will continue to carefully balance our nature conservation efforts with the needs of the mountain biking community.
PAPERCUTS