Decision in Paris to Ban E-scooters on Footpaths

9 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry is studying the policies and rules governing the use of e-scooters in Berlin and Paris; and (b) whether Paris's move to ban e-scooters from footpaths can be emulated.

The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Dr Lam Pin Min) (for the Minister for Transport): This is my last question on PMD. Mr Speaker, we will continue to study other countries and cities' e-scooters regulations. There is a wide range of practices across jurisdictions. For example, Paris will ban the use of e-scooters on footpaths, while Berlin will allow them but limits them to a device speed limit of 12 km/h. Queensland in Australia allows e-scooters on footpaths but sets a higher device speed limit of 25 km/h.

We have to tailor our approach to our local context and the needs of Singaporeans. In Singapore, such active mobility devices are useful for short journeys within towns and as first- and last-mile options. In 2015, after an extensive public consultation, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel recommended that e-scooters be allowed on footpaths, but with a clear set of rules and code of conduct to ensure their safe use.

We are mindful of the safety concerns expressed by Members as well as the general public. However, the solution is not to ban them, but to cultivate the right culture where users ride safely and responsibly and only at the allowed places. We will continue our public education efforts. We have also put in place a comprehensive set of regulations, with regular enforcement by LTA enforcement officers at hotspots.

To date, more than 1,630 individuals have been caught for e-scooter related offences. We have also introduced a mandatory e-scooter registration regime to facilitate identification of errant riders. We encourage members of public as well as the vast majority of responsible personal mobility device users to help spot and report errant riders to LTA. Collectively, we can encourage safe riding and considerate behaviour on our shared paths.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): It looks like LTA or MOT is very fixated on the thinking. I think by allowing PMD and e-scooters on the footpaths, you are shifting more risks to the pedestrians. Yes, you can report, you can take enforcement action but how many officers do you have to take enforcement action? My question is, what is LTA's advice to all pedestrians, especially the elderly, the pregnant women and the children for sharing footpaths with the e-scooters? What advice can you give them? We have already one case of man who suffered brain injury after being hit at Marina Bay. And yesterday, I just received an email from my resident after being hit by an e-scooter on the footpath a year ago. Till now, the Police are still on investigation. I have another resident who was molested along the footpath by an e-scooter rider. The Police could not do anything because it was at night. So, I would like to ask what advice would you give to the pedestrians in order for them to be safe.

Dr Lam Pin Min: I would like to thank Er Dr Lee Bee Wah for those comments and I also understand where she is coming from. On the part of LTA, in order for us to make the footpaths safer for both pedestrians as well as PMD users, she may be aware that we have already reduced the speed limit of the devices on footpaths from 15 km/h to 10 km/h. The reason we reduced the speed limit is so that we can enhance the safety by increasing the amount of time that PMD users as well as pedestrians to react to unforeseen circumstances. With this lowered speed limit, we also hope that the severity of injuries, should they occur; would be much lower. Of course, we do not hope for accidents to occur, but we hope that with the lower speed limit, we have enough reaction time to react to any unforeseen circumstances.

As to the kind of advice that we give to pedestrians, whether it is elderly or the young, as well as to the PMD users, I think we just have to exercise graciousness, caution, as well as to act responsibly when we share the use of common spaces such as footpaths and in shared paths. We also have to exercise alertness whenever there are any PMD users approaching us. For the PMD users, they are advised to ride carefully within the speed limit allowed, as well as to slow down when faced with a crowd in front of them. These are some common sense practices that PMD users should exercise.