Parliament has passed the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Bill (SMV Bill) and the Active Mobility (Amendment No. 2) Bill on 26 May 2020.
Both bills strengthen active mobility regulations aimed at stemming the inflow of non-compliant devices and ensuring safe active mobility journeys.
The SMV Bill introduces new import control measures for small motorised vehicles to improve public path and fire safety.
Starting from the first quarter of 2021, all persons who import motorised Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) and Power Assisted Bicycles (PABs) will be required to obtain an import approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) before they can bring in these devices. This regulation will also apply to individuals bringing in motorised PMDs or PABs for personal use.
The LTA states that this new measure will be key to stemming the inflow of non-compliant motorised PMDs and PABs into Singapore, and will reinforce its existing efforts to promote public path and fire safety, including adopting the UL2272 and EN15194 safety standards for motorised PMDs and PABs respectively.
Any individual who imports motorised PMDs and PABs without valid approval from LTA can be fined up to $5,000 and/or face a jail term of up to 6 months, if convicted for the first offence. Businesses meanwhile, can be fined up to $10,000 for the first offence. More information on the import approval process will be released by LTA at a later date.
The Active Mobility (Amendment No. 2) Bill meanwhile, will enable LTA to immediately forfeit non-compliant devices posing fire hazards and dispose of them once a 30-day notice period to make an objection has lapsed.
The Bill also extends the scope of the public path system under the Active Mobility Act 2017 by including path-connected open spaces, which will be designated as footpaths later this year. These include courtyards, community/town plazas, and squares, which are commonly used as thoroughfares by pedestrians and active mobility device users.
Active mobility users will thus be required to comply with the regulations in these spaces, such as the speed limits for active mobility device users, and the prohibition of use of motorised PMDs on footpaths.
