SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force announced on Aug 13 (Tuesday) that 32 cyclists have been issued composition fines for breaching the cycling group size rule.
The fines came in the wake of enforcement operations conducted by officers from the Traffic Police (TP) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on July 28 and Aug 4.
In Singapore, cyclists need to stay in a group of a maximum of five bicycles in length. This allows five cyclists in a single file or ten cyclists side by side, which is permitted in streets with at least two lanes.
On one-lane streets and in bus lanes during the stipulated hours, cyclists need to ride single-file.
“During the enforcement operations, TP and LTA officers also conducted education outreach to raise awareness on cycling rules and guidelines,” the police said on Aug 13.
Cyclists can be slapped with a fine of S$150 if they breach these rules. The composition fine was increased on Jan 1, 2022, to improve road safety.
It also applies to cyclists who break other existing cycling rules, including failing to stop at red lights, cycling on expressways, and riding abreast of another cyclist along single-lane roads or within bus lanes during bus lane operational hours.
In its statement, the police reminded cyclists to follow cycling rules and guidelines for their own and everyone else’s safety.
These include:
- Obey all traffic signals and travel in the same direction as the flow of traffic
- Wear a helmet when cycling on roads
- Always ride as close as practicable to the far left edge of roads, and allow traffic to overtake them safely
- Cycle in a single file on single-lane roads and during bus lane operational hours
- Switch on the front white and rear red lights in the dark
- Always use bicycle lanes when available, and do not use any other part of the roadway
- Keep to a maximum length of 5 bicycles when riding in groups, which means a maximum of 5 cyclists if riding in single file or 10 cyclists if riding two abreast (only on roads with more than one lane)
- Not use mobile communication devices while riding
- Not cycle on expressways, road tunnels, and selected viaducts
The Police, along with the LTA, will continue to hold enforcement operations against errant cyclists and will not hesitate to take action against them, the statement added. /TISG
Read also: Singaporean suggests S$1000 fine for errant cyclists instead of the current “meagre S$150”