Transport

Yip Hon Weng queried the Coordinating Minister for National Security about the audit process for speed enforcement cameras, contractor penalties for errors, public dispute avenues for speeding summons, and camera setting verification after disputes. K Shanmugam responded that Traffic Police conduct monthly audits to ensure accurate speed settings. Contractors face financial penalties or contract termination for lapses. Motorists can appeal speeding offences through the Singapore Police Force's e-services, and if anomalies are found during reviews, the camera settings are verified and corrected as needed.

Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked about the effectiveness and user experience of the new barrier-free parking system in HDB carparks and how it will be improved for users. Chee Hong Tat responded that HDB is trialing this system in eight car parks, which includes sending pre-enforcement alerts to motorists parked in unauthorized lots, significantly reducing illegal parking by nearly 60%. HDB plans to continue refining the system and exploring other technologies to enhance the parking experience for users.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis requested data on dangerous and careless driving offences over the past five years and asked about measures to address these issues. K Shanmugam reported an annual average of about 190 dangerous driving and close to 18,000 careless driving offences recorded by the Traffic Police from 2021 to 2025. The Government employs a four-pronged approach to improve road safety, including enforcement, penalties, public education, and infrastructure enhancements, such as activating speed enforcement in red-light cameras and deploying Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras in accident-prone areas. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also increased fines and demerit points for speeding violations, with further measures under consideration.

Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat questioned the Government about data on accident repair costs for rental and car-sharing vehicles that go unclaimed due to exceeding insurance excess thresholds. He also asked if regulations would be implemented to control rental operators' excess charges and protect hirers from exploitative practices. Jeffrey Siow responded that the Government lacks data on these costs and does not intervene in commercial agreements between rental companies and hirers, noting that any new regulations could raise costs for consumers.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked about the synchronization of the Traffic Priority System (TPS) with the Green Link Determining (GLIDE) system and the possibility of extending TPS to give priority to public buses at traffic junctions during peak times. Jeffrey Siow confirmed that TPS is synchronized with GLIDE and primarily prioritizes ambulances near hospitals. He noted that the government will consider extending TPS to include public buses while also considering the needs of other road users.

Victor Lye asked about the installation of a bus stop near Blk 406 Fernvale Road to improve public transport access for nearby residents. Jeffrey Siow responded that feasibility studies are currently underway for the proposed bus stops. If deemed feasible, the design and construction process is expected to take approximately six to nine months.

Sylvia Lim asked about the timeline for erecting a bus stop near Blocks 174A to 174D on Hougang Avenue 1 for residents' convenience. Jeffrey Siow responded that the Land Transport Authority is currently conducting feasibility studies for the new bus stops. If deemed feasible, the design and construction of the bus stop will take approximately six to nine months.

Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat questioned the Acting Minister for Transport about the proportion of successful COE bids from households already owning cars, the impact on first-car households, and the possibility of giving first-car households priority in the COE system. Jeffrey Siow revealed that 85% of new Category A and B COEs were acquired by households with at least one COE, mostly single-car households replacing vehicles. He acknowledged the finite number of COEs and noted that prioritizing first-car households could negatively affect those replacing cars or larger families sharing the same household.

Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik raised concerns about enforcement measures to prevent reckless cycling and requested statistics on penalties for dangerous riding without accidents, along with potential surveillance improvements in high-risk areas. Jeffrey Siow responded that cyclists must adhere to speed limits of 10 km/h on footpaths and 25 km/h on shared paths, noting over 650 cyclists were penalized for disorderly riding from 2023 to 2025. Enforcement actions include joint operations by the LTA and Singapore Police Force, targeted operations in hotspots, deployment of deterrent technologies, and community patrols to raise awareness of safe riding practices.

Tin Pei Ling questioned if the conversion requirements for foreign driving licenses would be reviewed and potentially tightened. K Shanmugam responded that the Traffic Police will monitor road traffic trends concerning these conversions and will review the requirements as needed.

Chua Kheng Wee Louis questioned the effectiveness of the 2019 Smart Bus Priority System trial in improving bus punctuality and whether it would be expanded island-wide. Jeffrey Siow explained that the trial lasted six months on bus services 98 and 99 and demonstrated that while the system was technically feasible, it did not significantly enhance bus punctuality. Consequently, the Land Transport Authority does not plan to scale up the system, but will continue exploring other technologies and methods to improve bus priority and travel times.

Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat raised questions regarding the accuracy standards, performance, and monitoring of the bus Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) system. Jeffrey Siow responded that the ETA system aims to predict bus arrival times within a three-minute range at least 95% of the time, and performance has met this target over the past three years. The January failure was attributed to a software defect caused by a server issue, which has since been resolved. An upgrade of the ETA system has begun in 2024 to enhance predictions and real-time information, with the Land Transport Authority actively monitoring its reliability to prevent future issues.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim asked about the deployment timeline for two-car trains in the Sengkang-Punggol Light Rail Transit system. Jeffrey Siow indicated that by end-February 2026, seven new Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) would be deployed, with an additional 18 LRVs to be introduced from early 2027 following depot expansion. The specific timeline for deployment will depend on operational needs and ridership patterns.

He Ting Ru raised concerns about the fault in the bus arrival timing system, asking how many bus services and commuters were affected and about the vendor's post-deployment checks. Jeffrey Siow reported that around 4,000 buses faced issues with intermittent data transmission and missing predictions, but overall bus operations were unaffected. The preliminary investigation identified defective software and a server failure as the root cause, leading to a memory cache build-up in on-board transmitters, but no cybersecurity concerns were noted. The software has been fixed, and an upgrade of the Bus Fleet Management System is ongoing to enhance prediction accuracy.

Christopher de Souza raised concerns about the need for strengthened safety and handover protocols for self-driving shuttle buses, as well as about tightening liability and insurance regimes. Jeffrey Siow explained that Autonomous Vehicle (AV) operators must submit detailed safety and operational plans, which are evaluated by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and NTU's CETRAN before deployment. AV trials are conducted under a regulatory framework, including the Road Traffic Act and specific rules for autonomous vehicles, with operators required to maintain liability insurance. The Government is collaborating with stakeholders to review and potentially reform liability and insurance systems for AVs.

Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik raised questions about the effects of car-lite designations on vehicle ownership and public transport usage in 16 designated areas since 2019, as well as lessons learned from HDB estates like Bayshore and Ulu Pandan. Jeffrey Siow responded that these areas are still under development, with significant completion expected by 2030, and that the impact of car-lite designations will be assessed once the areas are mostly occupied.

Cai Yinzhou questioned the Minister for National Development about visitor trends to Sisters' Islands Marine Park, including the modes of transportation used, accessibility improvements for the public, and initiatives to enhance visitation. Chee Hong Tat reported that over 40,000 visitors have accessed Big Sister's Island since enhancements in October 2024, primarily via public ferry. A new daily boat service from Sentosa to Big Sister's Island was established in December 2025, complementing existing ferry services. Improvements include a barrier-free access route, a floating boardwalk, and wheelchair-friendly shelters, along with collaborative efforts with the Friends of Marine Park for guided activities.

Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked about the number of appeals received by the Traffic Police regarding fines for illegal U-turns influenced by GPS navigation apps and whether the Police collaborates with these companies to address the issues. K Shanmugam responded that the Traffic Police does not track such appeals and emphasizes that motorists must follow road signs, not just GPS prompts. He acknowledged the suggestion to notify navigation companies about erroneous GPS prompts and expressed a willingness to explore this further.

Cai Yinzhou asked about the incidence of crimes or traffic violations involving deregistered vehicles in 2025, their sources, and inter-agency coordination to prevent their illegal use. Jeffrey Siow stated that vehicle owners must scrap or export deregistered vehicles within one month and that failure to do so is punishable by fines or imprisonment, with recent amendments increasing penalties for such offenses. In 2025, over 80 cases involving deregistered vehicles were reported. The Land Transport Authority collaborates with other agencies to share intelligence and conduct joint operations to address this issue.

Gho Sze Kee asked about the identification and summoning process for foreign-registered vehicles committing traffic offences in Singapore. K Shanmugam explained that composition fines are imposed on such vehicles, and those with outstanding fines may be denied entry at land checkpoints until payments are made. The Ministry of Home Affairs is also considering further measures against foreign motorists for traffic violations, with details to be announced later.