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Liang Seah Street is Singapore's newest weekend car-free zone, in a bid to revitalise F&B businesses in the area.
The street, conveniently situated opposite Bugis Junction, is famously known for its sheer number of hotpot or steamboat restaurants.
It will be closed to vehicles and turned into a pedestrian-only street on the weekend evenings.
On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the street will be closed to vehicles from 7pm to 12am.
Vehicles prohibited from parking during road closure timings
So what does this mean? Well, vehicles are prohibited from parking on the road during these timings, and restaurants are allowed to set up tables and chairs on the road to accommodate more diners.
Liang Seah Street's official website showcases a video illustrating scenes of the pedestrian street.
GIF from video on Liang Seah Street website.
The website also included a notice to motorists informing them that during the road closure timings, they can park at the adjacent streets, or within other developments in the area such as Bugis Junction or the National Library.
It also indicated that summons may be issued to non-complying motorists.
This initiative is part of the regular car-free arrangements announced by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which also includes other streets around Kampong Glam, such as Bali Lane and Haji Lane.
First time since 2015
It is also not the first time Liang Seah Street has gone car-free on weekends.
A previous pilot in Dec. 2015 that lasted three months was reportedly well received by pedestrians and businesses alike, according to The Straits Times.
According to Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min), the plans for the resumption of the car-free measures had been in the works since about five years ago.
However, these were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
URA confirmed with Mothership that this current trial was supposed to end by July 7, but Liang Seah Street stakeholders successfully applied for a three-month extension until Oct. 1, 2023.
A way to reinvigorate businesses
The manager of Ah Chew Desserts, a traditional Chinese dessert shop that has been a mainstay at Liang Seah Street for the past 19 years, told Shin Min that the car-free measures have definitely led to an uptick in business.
As parking spaces are left vacant during the road closure timings, the shop can set up an additional eight tables on the road, he explained.
This is a boon for the popular outlet, which is typically crowded on weekends, with customers waiting up to an hour.
"After adding the extra tables and chairs, the turnaround is much faster, with wait times reduced to about 10 minutes," the manager added.
As a result, he said, the shop's turnover has increased by about 20 per cent.
Other restaurant owners along that stretch expressed to Shin Min that the evening road closure was necessary to attract crowds on the weekends and reinvigorate businesses hit by the pandemic.
Due to the lack of tourists, and with more people working from home, they reported that the pedestrian volume has only recovered to around 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
More conducive for diners, but parking could be tricky
Diners interviewed by Shin Min shared that after the evening road closure was implemented, Liang Seah Street has become more lively, with a more conducive dining experience.
However, some expressed that parking could be less convenient, for diners who are driving over.
In response to Mothership's queries, a URA spokesperson shared that the statutory board is happy to support the initiative as part of efforts to enliven Singapore's streets.
"We welcome stakeholders to take the lead in implementing the road closure on a regular basis and will review their initiative with the relevant agencies to ensure visitors to the area can experience the street in a safe and enjoyable manner," the spokesperson added.
Top screenshots via Liang Seah Street website.