From Tuesday, 5 November 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will prohibit the riding of electric scooters (e-scooters) on all footpaths. Henceforth, e-scooters can only be ridden on cycling paths and Park Connector Networks (PCNs). The current policy of disallowing personal mobility devices (PMDs) on roads remains.

Since the Active Mobility Act was passed in Parliament in February 2017 to allow the use of PMDs on public paths, LTA has sought to encourage the responsible use of these devices through education, enforcement, regulations and infrastructural enhancements. Despite significant efforts, offences relating to errant behaviour and incidents involving e-scooters remained on an upward trend. This has led to much anxiety among pedestrians, particularly more vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young. In the wake of recent incidents involving errant e-scooter riders, LTA has conducted a thorough safety review and will take decisive action to restore safety on footpaths.

To give e-scooter users time to adjust to the ban, LTA will provide an advisory period from 5 November to 31 December 2019. From 1 January 2020, a zero-tolerance approach will be taken and those caught riding an e-scooter on footpaths will face regulatory action. Offenders are liable for fines up to $2,000 and/or face imprisonment of up to 3 months, if convicted.

Bicycles and Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs), such as motorised wheelchairs, will continue to be allowed on footpaths, cycling paths and PCNs.

Active Mobility Infrastructural Developments

After the e-scooter ban on footpaths takes effect, e-scooter users can continue to use cycling paths and PCNs. There are currently about 440km of cycling paths island-wide and LTA will expand this network to 750km by 2025, and triple the distance by 2030. All HDB towns will also have a cycling path network by 2030. In new precincts such as Kampong Bugis, Tengah and Woodlands North Coast, LTA plans to build cycling paths on both sides of the road. New cycling paths may also be added in private residential estates and industrial estates.

Several cycling path projects are nearing completion in major towns. From next year, residents in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Panjang, Taman Jurong and Tampines can enjoy greater active mobility connectivity as sections of cycling paths in these neighbourhoods will be completed. For example, a resident living at Block 470 Tampines Street 44 will be able to ride seamlessly along the cycling path network to Tampines Hub in 20 minutes.

Please refer to here for maps of some upcoming cycling paths and their completion dates.

By 2025, e-scooter riders living in Choa Chu Kang, Toa Payoh and Woodlands will also be able to enjoy expanded cycling paths for their first and last mile connectivity, to travel from their homes to public transport nodes and other amenities. Active mobility device users may refer to MyTransport.SG app to navigate the cycling paths and PCNs.

Extension of early disposal incentive

Of the 100,000 registered e-scooters, at least 80,000 are not UL2272-certified and cannot be used on all public paths (footpaths, cycling paths and PCNs) come 1 July 2020. Of the remaining 20%, those which fail the inspection regime that commences from 1 April 2020, will have their registration cancelled. It is an offence to ride unregistered or non-compliant e-scooters on public paths. We strongly urge the owners of non-compliant e-scooters to dispose their devices early to protect themselves and their neighbours from unnecessary fire risks.

Since the introduction of the $100 early disposal incentive in September, LTA has received more than 9,000 applications from owners to dispose of their registered non-UL2272 certified e-scooters. To encourage more to step forward, LTA will be extending the Early Disposal Incentive by one month to 31 December 2019 and providing more disposal points in December 2019.  Please refer to here for details.

PMD-Sharing Licence Applications

Following recent accidents involving PMDs, the Minister for Transport has issued a safety directive prohibiting e-scooter sharing services. Hence, LTA will reject all existing licence applications and will not be inviting applications for PMD sharing licences until further notice.

LTA will continue to review the effectiveness of its path safety measures for all and accelerate the development of active mobility infrastructure to foster the safe and sustainable growth of active mobility in Singapore.