It could be legal to ride your bicycle or electric scooter on the pavements as soon as the end of this year, after the Government fully accepted an expert panel's recommendations to boost active mobility here, reported The Straits Times. 

Speaking in Parliament during the Transport Ministry's budget debate, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said this was part of efforts to enhance accessibility for commuters. In the bigger picture, it is also a key strategy in Singapore's push to reduce its reliance on cars.

The Active Mobility Advisory Panel released last month a set of rules and guidelines to govern the use of personal mobility devices here. Mrs. Teo said the Government would be accepting the panel's recommendations in full, and most of the changes would be implemented by the end of this year. "Overall, the recommendations are fair and balanced, with sensible rules and guidelines to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and users of personal mobility devices (PMD) alike," she said, pointing out that the new rules will significantly improve mobility options for everyone.

Mrs. Teo told the House that a nationwide Active Mobility campaign will be launched this month to raise awareness on the new policies. This would be complemented with a new Cyclist Education programme, which will be rolled out in schools, community centres and foreign worker dormitories from next month. The Land Transport Authority will also set up a dedicated enforcement team to ensure reckless cyclists and users of PMDs are dealt with, and penalties and fines will also be increased.