Rough ride

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: How should the bicycle-sharing business be regulated?

Jeremy Tan Director CMS Holborn Asia

THE key to regulating disruptive technology is to strike the right balance between encouraging innovation and minimising negative externalities. With bike-sharing, this means finding a middle ground between the convenience of a large bicycle fleet and the use of public spaces in land-scarce Singapore. Licence fees and fines alone can only go so far to address the problems of rogue parking and disincentivise operators trying to achieve scale and profitability. Public awareness campaigns that indirectly influence the parking behaviour of users should also be considered as a complementary measure. Move-in Martin? #BikeRightBryan.