Transport — Topics

7 May 2024

Public Education for Online Sellers of Personal Mobility Aids Given Upcoming Changes to Regulations

Ms Yeo Wan Ling queried how the Ministry of Transport will educate online sellers of personal mobility aids (PMAs) on compliance ahead of upcoming regulation changes, especially regarding sales to delivery riders.
Minister Chee Hong Tat stated the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has engaged retailers, delivery companies, and the National Delivery Champions Association to discuss new PMA rules and will continue outreach to online sellers.
LTA will collaborate with the Attorney-General’s Chambers to explore stronger enforcement against online platforms selling non-compliant mobility devices.

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7 May 2024

Use of Data Analytics to Ascertain Accident Risks at Roads and Traffic Junctions

Dr Tan Wu Meng inquired whether LTA uses data analytics, including AI, to identify roads and junctions with higher risks of vehicle collisions and pedestrian accidents, and if it considers traffic police data, near-miss reports, and public feedback.
LTA confirmed it uses various data sources like traffic police reports and public feedback for road safety assessments, leading to tailored enhancements such as Red-Amber-Green arrows, traffic calming measures, and additional crossings.
LTA introduces about 1,000 road safety measures yearly, including Silver Zones and Friendly Streets with lower speed limits, to specifically reduce pedestrian accident risks and fatalities.

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7 May 2024

Rationale for Planned Expansion of Woodlands Checkpoint

The Minister explained that Woodlands Checkpoint has exceeded its design capacity, with daily traveller volumes rising sharply from 230,000 in 2000 to 300,000–340,000 today, and is projected to reach 400,000 by 2050, causing severe congestion that necessitates expansion.
The expansion aims to address current and future pressures by improving traveller experience, future-proofing the checkpoint beyond 2050, and providing buffers to avoid costly reactive adjustments.
Additional land is needed to move security checks away from town areas, contain traffic queues within the checkpoint, and reduce spillover onto local roads, while also enabling more automated lanes to mitigate manpower constraints.
The planned expansion is based on extensive feasibility studies and overall travel demand data, not specific traveller groups, to meet evolving security and operational needs.

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7 May 2024

Transport Safety Investigation Bureau's Probe into Crash of Singapore-registered Container Vessel at Baltimore Bridge

Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked for updates on the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau's probe into the Singapore-registered vessel Dali's crash at Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, including completion timelines, preliminary lessons, crew well-being, and disclosure of findings.
Minister Chee Hong Tat responded that the Ministry is participating in the U.S.-led investigation per International Maritime Organization guidelines, with a separate probe by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, but it is too early to determine causes or completion dates.
The Minister added that the crew is safe and assisting with investigations, with support from the ship owner and manager for their well-being, while findings will be shared once the investigations conclude.

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7 May 2024

Measures to Prevent Speeding and Reckless Driving Especially at Accident-prone Junctions

The Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority outlined multi-pronged road safety measures, including designing roads to international standards, implementing Red-Amber-Green arrows at junctions, and creating School and Silver Zones to reduce accidents, with Silver Zones lowering pedestrian accidents by about 80%.
Enforcement against illegal vehicle modifications has been stepped up, with increased penalties since 2021, while data analytics and community feedback guide localised enhancements like speed humps and safety bollards, though direct correlation between modifications and speeding accidents is complex.
LTA reviews and expands safety zones based on local conditions, collaborates with schools and agencies to address congestion, and prioritises at-grade crossings over infrastructure like underground walkways unless terrain or development constraints necessitate them.

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7 May 2024

Measures to Improve Safety on the Roads and Increase Penalties following Recent Spate of Fatal Accidents

The Ministry of Home Affairs is enhancing road safety through intensified education campaigns, partnerships with stakeholders, and the rollout of speed limiters for lorries by June 2027, while maintaining that periodic refresher courses for all drivers are not mandatory.
Enforcement measures include using public-submitted social media videos for investigations, deploying more traffic police officers and cameras, and regularly reviewing penalties under the Road Traffic Act, with current penalties deemed sufficient compared to international standards.
The government emphasizes a shared responsibility for road safety, promoting public awareness initiatives and community-led projects, while also providing support systems for accident victims’ families through referrals to social and mental health services.

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7 May 2024

Measures to Improve Safety on the Roads and Increase Penalties following Recent Spate of Fatal Accidents

Multiple Members of Parliament expressed concern over the recent rise in fatal road accidents and asked about stricter penalties, enhanced enforcement, better driver education, and public awareness campaigns.
The Minister stated that while overall traffic accidents causing injuries have decreased, fatal accidents have increased by 12% over the last five years, with top causes being failure to keep a proper lookout and speeding.
The Ministry noted that penalties under the Road Traffic Act were already significantly raised in 2019 and are under regular review, while enforcement has been intensified with more ad-hoc checks and speed cameras activated at accident-prone locations.
Road safety measures include the Safe Driving Course to expunge demerit points, online public reporting of violations via Police e-services, and ongoing public education, though universal installation of cameras at all junctions is not feasible.
The Minister emphasized that the government is continuously studying composition amounts, the demerit points framework, and other preventive measures to improve road safety and accountability.

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3 Apr 2024

Installation of Lifts at Pedestrian Overhead Bridge along Sengkang East Drive and Installing Lifts at More Bridges

Louis Chua asked about the feasibility, approvals, and timeline for installing lifts at a Sengkang East Drive pedestrian bridge, while Chee Hong Tat stated the LTA’s retrofitting program prioritizes bridges benefiting seniors and that the process takes up to 22 months, requiring approvals from multiple agencies including BCA, NEA, NParks, PUB, and URA.

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3 Apr 2024

Transport Sector (Critical Firms) Bill

The Transport Sector (Critical Firms) Bill was introduced to amend four key transport-related acts, including the Bus Services Industry Act and the Rapid Transit Systems Act.
The bill was presented by Minister for Transport Mr Chee Hong Tat and received its First Reading in Parliament.
The Second Reading of the bill is scheduled for the next available parliamentary sitting.
The bill will be printed following its presentation, as per standard legislative procedure.

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3 Apr 2024

Impact on Vehicular Flow following New Registration and Security Measures at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is implementing a phased Visitor Management System (VMS) at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre to enhance security and facilitate contact tracing, with registration valid for a year and minimal on-site processing time.
SFA is engaging stakeholders and using pre-registration online to ease congestion, with plans to roll out vehicle access similarly by allowing drivers to tap their ID at the gantry without disembarking.
The government will monitor traffic and review the system based on feedback, considering suggestions like QR codes but emphasizing that existing ID-based methods are already efficient.

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2 Apr 2024

Criteria for Registering Vehicles as Goods-cum-Passenger Vehicles and Measures to Prevent Misuse for High-end Vehicles

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked about the specific conditions required for vehicles to be registered as Goods-cum-Passenger Vehicles (GPVs) and whether measures exist to prevent high-end vehicles like Jeeps from being registered as GPVs, which could deprive legitimate commercial vehicle drivers of Certificates of Entitlement (COE).
Chee Hong Tat clarified that GPVs are categorized into three types: station wagons designed for seven or more passengers (excluding the driver), panel vans, and twin-cabin goods vehicles, all registered under COE Category C for mixed passenger and goods transport.
He noted that many Jeep models do not fit these categories and therefore cannot be registered as GPVs, addressing concerns about misuse for high-end vehicles.
The response emphasized the existing framework's aim to ensure only qualifying vehicles are registered as GPVs, thereby protecting COE access for legitimate commercial vehicle users.

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2 Apr 2024

Average Ridership of Bus Service 405 during Qing Ming Period and Potential Direct Access Re-routing to Choa Chu Kang Columbarium

Leong Mun Wai inquired about the average daily ridership of Bus Service 405 during the Qing Ming period and the feasibility of rerouting it for direct access to Choa Chu Kang Columbarium.
Chee Hong Tat responded that during Qing Ming 2023, the service was generally under 40% full, peaking at 60–70% on Good Friday.
He noted that the columbarium is about 500m from the nearest bus stop and rerouting is infeasible due to narrow roads.

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2 Apr 2024

Increased E-gate Usage by Travellers at Checkpoints and Its Impact on Median Waiting Times for Cross-border Bus Services

Ms Hazel Poa inquired whether the use of e-gates by cross-border travellers has led to higher median waiting times for bus services and if increased bus frequency during peak hours could ease congestion at checkpoints.
The Land Transport Authority and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority have collaborated with bus operators to add more trips and facilitate shuttle services during peak periods.
In March 2024, additional trips were added for bus services 160, 170X, and 950 on weekends, and the average scheduled headway for Service 170X was reduced from eight minutes to five minutes.

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2 Apr 2024

Total Number of Multi-storey Car Parks in HDB Estates and Proportion of Red Season Parking Lots

As of February 2024, there are 1,094 multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) in HDB estates.
About 30% of these MSCPs have designated red parking lots, with the majority not requiring them due to sufficient white and bi-coloured lots.
Bi-coloured lots are reserved for season parking holders during specified hours, and HDB monitors car park utilization to balance resident and visitor parking needs.

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2 Apr 2024

Regulating Lane Splitting and Addressing Growing Problem of Aggressive Road Culture

Member Yip Hon Weng questioned the legality of lane splitting by motorcyclists, asked if it would be banned or regulated for safety, and sought measures to promote defensive riding as well as any study on aggressive road culture.
Minister Shanmugam stated that banning lane splitting is impractical and hard to enforce, and instead emphasized enhancing safety awareness and encouraging safe riding habits among motorcyclists.
The minister highlighted that other motorists must also be vigilant by checking blind spots and signaling intentions, making road safety a shared responsibility among all road users.
Defensive riding courses are available at driving centres and incorporated into safety advisories and campaigns, with no study on road culture conducted so far, relying on existing measures to deter aggressive behavior.

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2 Apr 2024

Use of Private Development's Management or Sinking Funds for Construction of Sheltered Walkways to Nearest Bus Stops

Gerald Giam asked whether management corporations can use management or sinking funds to build sheltered walkways from their developments to nearby bus stops for resident safety and convenience.
Desmond Lee stated that management corporations can only use funds for works within their development boundaries, as there are no legal provisions for external projects.
For walkways outside their boundaries, management corporations must approach the Land Transport Authority, which will assess each request individually.

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2 Apr 2024

Drivers Who Refuse to Take Traffic Police's Breath Evidential Analyser Test for Alcohol Consumption

Over the past decade, an average of 22 drivers per year refused the preliminary breath test and 7 per year refused the Breath Evidential Analyser (BEA) test when directed by traffic police.
Drivers who delay taking the BEA test to reduce alcohol readings can be investigated, arrested without a warrant, and face fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to 12 months, with harsher penalties for repeat offenders.
Conviction for refusing the BEA test carries the same penalties as drink-driving, including potential disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence.

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2 Apr 2024

Determining Allotment of Red Seasoned Parking Lots in Multi-storey Car Parks

Dennis Tan asked about the policy for deciding when to have fully red season parking lots and how many to allocate in HDB multi-storey car parks.
Desmond Lee explained that HDB prioritizes resident parking needs, considering factors like dwelling units, flat types, and demand, with red lots introduced only when there is sustained high demand from both season and visitor parking.
About 70% of HDB car parks do not need red lots because white and bi-coloured lots suffice, and HDB monitors usage to balance season and visitor parking capacity.

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2 Apr 2024

Requirements on Licensed Taxi Rental and Private Hire Companies with Significant Market Share to Provide Call Options for Non-technology Savvy Passengers

Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Transport to consider imposing licensing conditions on taxi and private hire companies with significant market share to offer telephone booking and cash payment options for non-technology-savvy passengers.
ComfortDelGro currently fulfills over 99% of all call-booking trips, which make up about 1% of total point-to-point trips, and will continue to provide this service.
All taxi and ride-hail operators already accept cash payments for both street-hail and ride-hail services.

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2 Apr 2024

Government Advisories on Funding by Private Developments for Sheltered Walkways that Connect to Nearest Bus Stops

Gerald Giam Yean Song asked whether LTA advises residential MCSTs to fund sheltered walkways to bus stops on LTA-managed land when requested by residents.
Chee Hong Tat confirmed LTA collaborates with developers to fund linkways beyond developments to transport nodes when not covered by guidelines.
LTA officers erroneously applied this developer practice to residential MCSTs, advising them to fund walkways outside their strata boundary.
Such advice was incorrect as it overlooked the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, and LTA has taken steps to prevent future errors.

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