Bill tabled to tackle personal mobility aid misuse, mandate ERP 2.0 unit; active mobility rules to start from mid-2026

It was initially announced that the new active mobility rules would take effect from the first quarter this year.

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SINGAPORE: An omnibus Bill to require individuals to hold a valid certificate of medical need in order to ride a mobility scooter on public paths was tabled in parliament on Monday (Jan 12), with its active mobility provisions set to be implemented in mid-2026 by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Introduced by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow, the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill, if passed, will also mandate the installation of the ERP 2.0 system’s on-board unit (OBU) in all Singapore-registered motor vehicles for use on public roads.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said the mid-2026 implementation timeline for the mobility scooter rules would give affected parties “time to comply”. The rules were previously slated to take effect in the first quarter of this year.

The Bill seeks to amend various transport-related legislation, such as the Active Mobility Act, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act, the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Act, the Road Traffic Act and the Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act, and other laws.

Among other things, the proposed amendments aim to address concerns over the misuse of mobility scooters by seemingly able-bodied individuals, as well as speeding and the use of oversized devices, which could compromise the safety of other path users, said the ministry.

Under the changes, users will need a valid certificate of medical need to ride or drive a mobility scooter, which is a type of personal mobility aid (PMA). The speed limit for PMAs will also be reduced from 10kmh to 6kmh.

In addition, mobility scooters will be required to be registered to strengthen enforcement. The LTA proposes to first impose the requirement on new devices sold, before giving existing users time to comply ahead of full implementation.

The bill also proposes to make it an offence to keep non-UL2272 e-scooters, as these non-compliant e-scooters pose severe fire risks. Currently, it is an offence to use e-scooters that do not meet the UL2272 fire safety standard on public paths or roads, but not to keep such a device.

UL2272 is the fire safety standard for electric personal mobility devices in Singapore.

Separately, the Bill proposes to mandate that Singapore-registered motor vehicles be installed with ERP 2.0 system’s OBU to travel on public roads in Singapore.

MOT said in a statement that the installation of the OBUs is “progressing well”, with more than 90 per cent of all vehicles in Singapore already fitted.

The collection of missed ERP charges will also be streamlined by decriminalising missed ERP payments and treating it as an administrative matter.

Motorists with outstanding charges will no longer face a traffic offence, but will be unable to transact with LTA for services such as road tax renewal or vehicle transfers until payments are settled.

The ministry did not say when it intends to mandate the installation of the ERP 2.0 unit, but has previously stated the OBU installation exercise is expected to be completed by end-2026.

OTHER AMENDMENTS

From Jul 1 next year, all lorries with a maximum laden weight of 3,501 kg to 12,000 kg must be fitted with speed limiters capped at 60km/h to reduce speeding-related accidents.

The Bill proposes to tighten accountability by requiring authorised agents to report suspected tampering, holding owners and drivers liable for permitting or using non-compliant vehicles, and banning unauthorised speed limiter services, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a separate statement.

Currently, lorry owners who fail to comply with speed limiter requirements may be fined up to S$1,000 (US$740) for a first conviction, and up to S$2,000 for a second or subsequent conviction.

Penalties will also be significantly increased, with maximum fines raised to S$10,000 for a first offence and S$20,000 for repeat offences, to better reflect the road safety risks involved.

The Bill also strengthens deterrence by raising penalties for serious vehicle-related offences.

If the Bill is passed, penalties for illegal vehicle alterations will be increased and expanded to cover those who permit such activities on their premises, with individuals facing fines of up to S$20,000 and/or up to 2 years’ jail, and higher fines of up to S$40,000 for non-individual offenders, doubled for repeat cases.

Penalties will likewise be increased for keeping or using unregistered or deregistered vehicles, with offenders facing fines of up to S$20,000 and/or up to two years’ imprisonment, and with penalties doubled for repeat offences.
 

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