Electric Scooters Seized & More Than 1,400 Notices Issued
for Using Non-Compliant Power-Assisted Bicycles
Since May this year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been stepping up enforcement efforts to deter unsafe and reckless riding behaviour by cyclists and personal mobility device users.
With the set-up of a dedicated active mobility enforcement team, LTA has carried out more than 560 enforcement deployments across Singapore. More than 860 advisories were issued to cyclists, power-assisted bicycles (PABs) users and personal mobility device (PMD) users caught riding in an unsafe manner on footpaths and cycling paths.
Under the law, PMDs are not allowed for use on the roads. To date, LTA has seized a total of 20 electric scooters from users who had been caught riding on the road. LTA also takes regular enforcement action against cyclists who use non-compliant PABs. More than 1400 notices have been issued for using non-compliant PABs between January and September this year.
Most of these users were observed to be travelling dangerously at high speeds with devices that can go as fast as 70km/h, endangering themselves as well as other road users.
Under the Road Traffic Act, anyone found using non-compliant vehicles may be charged in Court, and fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to 3 months for the first offence. For subsequent offences, the offender may be fined up to $5,000 or jailed up to 6 months upon conviction. The non-compliant vehicle could also be seized for investigations.
Besides technical offences, LTA also carry out joint operations with the Traffic Police to enforce against PAB users who are found to be riding recklessly on the roads. Some of these common offences include riding against the flow of traffic or riding without a helmet.
LTA’s team of enforcement officers has been educating cyclists and personal mobility device users on the rules and code of conduct recommended by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP) and accepted by the Government earlier this year. In this regard, they are augmented by Active Mobility Patrol teams from 20 communities consisting of 300 volunteers who perform the role of giving localised advice to active mobility users on the areas. For example, cyclists and personal mobility device users must stay below the speed limits of 15km/h when riding on footpaths, and 25km/h on cycling paths. Enforcement officers will also distribute educational materials to educate cyclists and personal mobility device users on these rules and other safe riding tips.
LTA would like to urge all cyclists and PMD users to ride safely and observe safe riding behaviour at all times. LTA will not hesitate to take enforcement action against any rider found to be riding recklessly or in a manner that cause harm to pedestrians and other road users.
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This is a press release by the Ministry of Transport.