MOT reviewing online sale of non-compliant mobility devices
After several thousand offences involving non-compliant mobility devices on paths were detected here, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is reviewing if laws are needed to stop the sale of such devices online.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng said this in Parliament on March 5.
He was replying to questions by Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) on the ministry’s plans to carry out enforcement action against retailers and distributors of non-original batteries of active mobility devices (AMDs).
Mr Baey said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) detected around 5,100 offences involving non-compliant devices on paths from January 2020 to December 2023.
During that period, LTA found about 100 violations from operations conducted against retailers who sell such devices.
Mr Baey said: “If the online retailer or platform is based in Singapore... and we know of non-compliant devices being sold or being placed as an advertisement on the platforms, we’ll reach out to these online retailers and ask them to take down or stop the sale of such devices.
“There’s no law per se, but we are currently reviewing how we can strengthen this aspect of regulation.”
Currently, there are laws governing the physical sale of non-compliant mobility devices in shops. However, the law does not cover the online sale of such devices.
Mr Baey noted that while MOT can conduct operations against retailers of physical shops, many riders get their devices from overseas sources online.
This creates a challenge in acting against these online retailers, he added.
Mr Baey reminded the public to use only devices that comply with Singapore’s regulations, adding: “Some of these devices may be purported to be very good, (and sold at a) very reasonable price, but they may be constructed for use in a different climate and in different terrain than Singapore’s.”
It is illegal to use non-compliant devices on public paths here, and those who do so can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000 or both.
Retailers who sell non-compliant devices can be fined up to $20,000, while those who modify their devices illegally can be fined up to $20,000, jailed for up to 24 months or both.
In September 2023, The Straits Times reported that the number of power-assisted bicycles – or e-bikes – registered in Singapore had more than doubled in the last few years, surging from about 16,000 in 2020 to 37,320 as at end-June 2023.
The number of road traffic accidents involving such vehicles also increased. The Traffic Police said there were 157 accidents involving e-bikes in 2022, up from 150 in 2021 but doubling from 78 in 2020.
The annual statistics report released by the Singapore Civil Defence Force in February showed there were more fires involving AMDs in 2023 compared with 2022.
These fires – involving personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles and personal mobility aids – increased by 31 per cent to 55 cases in 2023, up from 42 fires in 2022.
According to LTA’s website, personal mobility devices include electric scooters and hoverboards, while personal mobility aids include motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters for those who have walking difficulties.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
