Parliament passes Bill that paves the way for ERP 2 and stricter mobility scooter rules

Parliament passed a raft of changes to transport laws on Feb 4, including new rules aimed at curbing the abuse of mobility scooters and protecting pedestrians.

New laws under the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill will require Singapore-registered vehicles to be fitted with an on-board unit (OBU) from Jan 1, 2027. The OBU will enable the shift to the next-generation ERP system, which uses satellite technology instead of gantries to determine a vehicle’s location for toll charging.

Users of mobility scooters will need to have a Certificate of Medical Need from June 1, 2026, although several groups, including seniors aged 70 and above, will be exempt.

Mobility scooters will also need to be registered. New mobility scooters sold from June 1 must be registered at the point of sale, while owners of existing scooters can begin registering their devices from mid-2027. Full enforcement begins on Jan 1, 2029, when using an unregistered mobility scooter on public paths becomes an offence.

A total of 24 MPs spoke over two days on the Bill, which also creates new offences related to speed limiters and increases penalties for existing offences.

Rounding up the debate, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow addressed issues raised by MPs on the new electronic road pricing system, including questions on distance-based road pricing.

The Transport Ministry does not intend to immediately implement distance-based charging, Mr Siow said in response to MPs including Ms Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC) and Mr Melvin Yong (Radin Mas).

The priority is to complete the transition to ERP 2 and allow motorists time to adjust before introducing additional parameters, he added.

“Distance-based charging is still an option for the future,” he said. “We have to study this further, as there are many trade-offs involved... but if we decide to implement distance-based charging, motorists will have ample notice.”

Mr Siow also addressed privacy concerns raised by WP MP Dennis Tan (Hougang) over the use of transaction and location data collected through OBUs.

He said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) adheres to all laws and government-wide standards on data sharing, and uses vehicle-specific data only for payment and enforcement purposes, including non-payment of ERP charges and cross-border taxi enforcement. He added that security safeguards are in place.

Replying to Mr Edward Chia’s (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) suggestion to use ERP 2 data to improve traffic management, Mr Siow said the LTA will use anonymised data collected from the system for transport planning and to manage traffic. He cited how the authority is experimenting with using the data to optimise the traffic light signal system.

There is great potential to improve traffic management with ERP 2 data, he said. “As we get better at doing so, it may well be feasible to create more capacity on our roads without taking up more land. Potentially, this can allow us to have some future growth in our car population.”

New law aims to ‘restore’ purpose of PMAs for those with genuine need

Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng addressed MPs’ concerns over the regulations on personal mobility aids (PMA) like mobility scooters, particularly the new requirement for a Certificate of Medical Need.

He clarified the conditions that would qualify users for medical certification, noting that the Health Ministry has issued guidelines for healthcare professionals covering a non-exhaustive list of conditions. These include cardiovascular diseases like severe heart failure, as well as musculoskeletal disorders such as muscular dystrophy and rheumatoid arthritis.

Mr Baey added that certificates will be available in both digital and hard-copy formats.

In response to calls from MPs to streamline processes and reduce the burden on genuine users, he said the Transport Ministry is looking to exempt more user groups where possible, including those who already undergo relevant assessments for other disability schemes.

MPs including Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Punggol GRC) also raised concerns about how the new rules would affect platform workers, particularly delivery riders who rely on PMAs.

Mr Baey said only workers with mobility needs should use PMAs for work, and must comply with the reduced speed and size limits for safety reasons.

Under the Bill, the speed limit of PMAs on public paths will be reduced from 10kmh to 6kmh, and oversized PMAs – defined as devices exceeding 120cm by 70cm by 150cm or weighing more than 300kg when loaded – will be banned from public paths.

He added that delivery riders without mobility needs should not use PMAs, and can continue working by switching to other devices or vehicles before June 1, 2026. The National Delivery Champions Association will provide financial assistance to help affected riders comply with the new rules, he noted.

Responding to concerns raised by WP MP He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) about stigma and enforcement based on appearance, Mr Baey said enforcement officers will be trained to be sensitive when checking for a Certificate of Medical Need.

He said the ministry will study the points raised and continue reviewing how the new laws are implemented.

“We want to restore the original purpose of PMAs and ensure that they serve those that they are truly intended for, and protect all path users,” he said.

Accidents down after rollout of speed limiter policy

In her speech, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann noted that heavy vehicles differ from passenger cars in mass, braking distance, stability and blind spots, and can cause disproportionate harm when accidents occur.

“Speed control is therefore a critical safety lever to reduce the risk and severity of accidents involving such vehicles,” she said.

Ms Sim told the House that the speed limiter policy is beginning to show results. Speeding-related accidents involving heavy vehicles, including fatal cases, fell 28 per cent from 25 cases in 2024 to 18 in 2025, as more lorries installed speed limiters in 2025, she said.

She added that the figures are expected to fall further come July 1, 2027, which is when all lorries are required to install speed limiters.

To give lorry owners more options, the Traffic Police has introduced a third approved speed-limiter standard, expanding the range of devices available. It has also worked with the industry to boost installation capacity, increasing the number of authorised agents more than sixfold since January 2025 to about 70, she said.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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