Active Mobility Act 2017

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act for the establishment of public paths for walking, cycling or other similar purposes, and to regulate the use of these public paths.

[20 June 2017: Sections 68(a), (b) and (c), 70(1)(d) and 71(a), (b), (c) and (e);

14 August 2017: Section 70(1)(a) and (c);

15 January 2018: Section 70(1)(b) and (2);

30 April 2018: Section 69(1), (2) and (4);

1 May 2018: Sections 2 to 67, 68(d) to (h), 70(3), 71(d) and (f) and 72 ]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1. This Act is the Active Mobility Act 2017.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“accessories” means additional parts, or fittings, for the purpose of enhancing the comfort, appearance or performance of a personal mobility device, including sound and internet devices and navigation devices, but not including parts or fittings prescribed for the purposes of this definition;

“appropriate supervisor” has the meaning given by section 23A(4);

“authorised officer”, for any provision of this Act, means an individual who is appointed under section 38 as an authorised officer for the purposes of that provision;

“Authority” means the Land Transport Authority of Singapore constituted under the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act 1995;

“bicycle” means a vehicle that —

(a)	has 2 wheels held one behind the other in a frame;
(b)	is steered by handlebars attached to the front wheel;
(c)	has pedals; and
(d)	is built to be propelled solely by human power;

“code of conduct” means a code of conduct issued or approved by the Minister under section 24, and includes any such code of conduct as amended from time to time under that section;

“competency test certificate”, for a class or description of test‑needed‑to‑drive vehicle, means a certificate granted under section 23F certifying that an individual has passed the prescribed test of competence for that class or description of test‑needed‑to‑drive vehicle;

“cycling” does not include the use of a motor cycle or power‑assisted bicycle;

“director” has the meaning given by section 4(1) of the Companies Act 1967;

“driver” means a driver of a vehicle and includes a rider, but does not include an individual who is walking and pushing a motorised wheelchair;

“driving” includes a reference to riding;

“end‑of pedestrian‑only path marking” means a marking drawn or painted on a pedestrian‑only path, consisting of the prescribed symbol or words denoting the end of the pedestrian‑only path;

“end‑of pedestrian‑only path sign” means a sign showing the prescribed symbol or words denoting the end of the pedestrian‑only path;

“end‑of shared path marking” means a marking drawn or painted on a shared path, consisting of the prescribed symbol or words denoting the end of the shared path;

“end‑of shared path sign” means a sign showing the prescribed symbol or words denoting the end of the shared path;

“footpath” means a length or area of path (whether or not contiguous with another path or a road) provided for pedestrians to use, or individuals to ride a bicycle or non‑motorised personal mobility device on, and ending at the nearest of the following:

(a)	a pedestrian‑only path sign or pedestrian‑only path marking;
(b)	a shared path sign or shared path marking;
(c)	a road;
(d)	the natural end of the path (which may be a dead end);

“holding yard” means a place used under section 52 for the storage of vehicles moved to, surrendered at, detained, seized or forfeited under Division 2 of Part 5;

“identification card”, in relation to an authorised officer, a public path warden or a volunteer public path warden, means an identification card issued under section 42 to the authorised officer, public path warden or volunteer public path warden, as the case may be;

“install”, in relation to any wayfinding signage, includes paint or mark on a surface in an indelible way;

“land” includes any permanent buildings on, under or over the land;

“limited liability partnership” has the meaning given by the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005;

“mechanised sweeper” means a motor vehicle that —

(a)	is designed or adapted for the purpose of sweeping or cleansing paths, the collection or disposal of refuse on paths or of the contents of gullies on paths; and
(b)	is incapable by reason of its construction of driving itself and of reaching a prescribed speed on the level under its own power;

“mobile communication device” has the meaning given by section 22A(4);

“mobility scooter” means a vehicle that —

(a)	has 3 or more wheels and a footboard supported by the wheels;
(b)	is steered by handlebars;
(c)	has a seat;
(d)	is designed to carry an individual who is unable to walk or has difficulty in walking; and
(e)	is propelled by a motor that forms part of the vehicle;

“motor vehicle” includes —

(a)	an automatic detection device that has wheels, a motor and is constructed to drive itself;
(b)	a robotic machine designed to move and operate independently of human control when the computer that controls it is programmed; or
(c)	a motor vehicle that is constructed to drive itself,

but excludes a wheeled toy or model car that can be remotely operated;

“motorised personal mobility device” or “motorised PMD” means a personal mobility device other than a non‑motorised personal mobility device;

“motorised wheelchair” means a wheelchair that —

(a)	is designed to carry an individual who is unable to walk or has difficulty in walking; and
(b)	is propelled by a motor that forms part of the wheelchair;

“non‑compliant bicycle” means a bicycle the construction, weight or accessories of which do not comply with the requirements as to construction, weight and accessories prescribed either for all bicycles generally or for the particular type of that bicycle;

“non‑compliant mobility vehicle” means —

(a)	a mobility scooter the construction, weight or accessories of which do not comply with the requirements as to construction, weight and accessories prescribed under this Act either for all mobility scooters generally or for the particular type of that mobility scooter; or
(b)	a motorised wheelchair the construction, weight or accessories of which do not comply with the requirements as to construction, weight and accessories prescribed under this Act either for all motorised wheelchairs generally or for the particular type of that motorised wheelchair;

“non‑compliant personal mobility device” means a personal mobility device the construction, weight or accessories of which do not comply with the requirements as to construction, weight and accessories prescribed either for all personal mobility devices generally or for the particular type of that personal mobility device;

“non‑compliant power‑assisted bicycle” means a power‑assisted bicycle the construction, weight or accessories of which do not comply with the requirements as to construction, weight and accessories prescribed either for all power‑assisted bicycles generally or for the particular type of that power‑assisted bicycle;

“non‑motorised personal mobility device” means a personal mobility device that is designed to be propelled by human power only;

“notice” does not include giving notice orally;

“outsourced enforcement officer”, in relation to any provision of this Act or the regulations, means an individual who —

(a)	is appointed under section 11 of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act 1995;
(b)	is authorised by or under that Act to exercise any powers under any provision of this Act or regulations made under this Act, as the case may be; and
(c)	is acting within that authorisation;

“owner”, in relation to a bicycle, PAB, personal mobility device, motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter, means —

(a)

for a registrable personal mobility device — the person who is recorded in the registrable PMD register as the registered responsible person for that device at the relevant time;

(b)

for a PAB — the person who is registered as the owner of the PAB under the Road Traffic Act 1961 at the relevant time;

(c)

for a registrable personal mobility device the registration of which under Part 3A is cancelled, or a PAB the registration of which under the Road Traffic Act 1961 is cancelled — the following person, as applicable:

(i)	the person who is last recorded in the registrable PMD register as the registered responsible person for that device;
(ii)	the person who is last recorded as the owner for that PAB under the Road Traffic Act 1961; and

(d)

for any other vehicle — the person who is —

(i)	a sole or joint owner of the vehicle;
(ii)	a person who solely, or jointly or in common with any other person, is entitled to the immediate possession of the vehicle; or
(iii)	for a vehicle which is the subject of a hiring agreement or hire‑purchase agreement, the person in possession or entitled to possession of the vehicle under that agreement;

“path” does not include the following, whether or not contiguous with another path or a road:

(a)	an unformed or unsurfaced path;
(b)	a green verge or other area provided for the growing of grass, trees or other vegetation;

“path‑connected open space” means a courtyard, plaza, square, quadrangle, atrium, peristyle or other substantially level and unenclosed open space that —

(a)	is surfaced and is not a green verge or other area provided for the growing of grass, trees or other vegetation;
(b)	is fronting, adjoining or abutting, or connected by stairs (mechanised or otherwise) to, a path (whether or not a public path); and
(c)	is used or capable of being used as a means of access to and from a path by pedestrians from any direction,

but does not include an area with barbecue or open‑fire cooking facilities, an outdoor children’s playground, a spray pool, a fitness park, a court for basketball, badminton, sepak takraw or other similar sport, a parking area for bicycles or other vehicles or a similar amenity or facility that is ordinarily a stop or journey’s end;

“pedestrian” means —

(a)	an individual walking, with or without animals;
(b)	an individual in a non‑motorised wheelchair;
(c)	an individual driving a motorised wheelchair or riding a mobility scooter;
(d)	an individual travelling on inline skates, roller‑skates or a wheeled toy;
(e)	an individual pushing a pram, stroller or trolley, or a motorised or non‑motorised wheelchair; or
(f)	an individual walking beside and pushing any other vehicle;

“pedestrian‑only path” means a length or area of path (whether or not contiguous with another path or a road) —

(a)

provided solely for pedestrians to use; and

(b)

starting at a pedestrian‑only path marking or a pedestrian‑only path sign, and ending at the nearest of the following:

(i)	an end‑of pedestrian‑only path marking or an end‑of pedestrian‑only path sign;
(ii)	a shared path sign or a shared path marking;
(iii)	a road;
(iv)	the natural end of the path (which may be a dead end);

“pedestrian‑only path marking” means a marking drawn, etched or painted on a path —

(a)

consisting of —

(i)	a prescribed symbol or prescribed words or both; and
(ii)	if the marking has a limited operation, words or figures specifying details of the operation of the marking; and

(b)

drawn, etched or painted so as to face an approaching pedestrian;

“pedestrian‑only path sign” means a sign —

(a)

showing —

(i)	a prescribed symbol or prescribed words or both; and
(ii)	if the sign has a limited operation, words or figures specifying details of the operation of the sign; and

(b)

erected so as to face an approaching pedestrian;

“personal mobility device” or “PMD” means a wheeled vehicle that —

(a)	is built to transport people only (with or without carry‑on baggage); and
(b)	is propelled by an electric motor attached to the vehicle or by human power or both,

and includes a skateboard, but does not include a bicycle, power‑assisted bicycle, motor car, wheelchair (motorised or otherwise), mobility scooter, pram, stroller or trolley, inline skates, roller‑skates or a wheeled toy, and such other vehicle as the Minister may, by order in the Gazette, exclude from this definition;

“power‑assisted bicycle” or “PAB” means a bicycle that —

(a)	is equipped with an electric motor; and
(b)	may be propelled by human power or by the electric motor with which it is equipped, or by both;

“premises” means a building or structure (whether permanent or temporary) or part of a building or structure;

“prescribed minimum riding age” has the meaning given by section 23A(1);

“prescribed test of competence”, in relation to driving or riding a vehicle on a public path, means a test of subject matter prescribed by regulations to test an individual’s knowledge of safe driving or riding practices and law on public paths, and also on roads where lawful to ride the vehicle on a road;

“proprietor” —

(a)	in relation to any land that is leased or is subject to a tenancy or licence to occupy, includes the owner of the land who is the lessor or grantor of the licence to occupy;
(b)	in relation to land that is common property not comprised in a strata title plan, means the person receiving any rent or charge for the maintenance of that common property or limited common property; and
(c)	in relation to land that is common property or limited common property comprised in a strata title plan, means the management corporation or subsidiary management corporation (as the case may be) having control of the common property or limited common property;

“public authority” means a body established or constituted by or under a public Act to perform or discharge a public function, and includes a Town Council;

“public path” means a path or path‑connected open space declared under section 6 as a public path;

“public path warden” means an individual who is appointed under section 39 as a public path warden, and includes any authorised officer;

“registered responsible person”, in relation to a registrable personal mobility device, means any person recorded in the registrable PMD register as the responsible person for the registrable personal mobility device;

“registrable personal mobility device” means a personal mobility device of the description prescribed by the Minister by order in the Gazette;

“registrable PMD register” means the register of registrable personal mobility devices required by section 28E to be established and maintained by the Authority;

“registration”, in relation to a personal mobility device, means registration of the personal mobility device in the registrable PMD register, and “registered” has a corresponding meaning;

“registration code” means a series of numbers or alphanumeric characters;

“regulations” means regulations made under this Act;

“repair” includes examine, detect faults in, adjust, carry out maintenance on, overhaul, replace, alter and paint;

“repeat offender”, in relation to any offence under this Act, means a person who —

(a)	is convicted, or found guilty, of such an offence (called the current offence); and
(b)	has been convicted or found guilty of the same offence on at least one other earlier occasion within the period of 5 years immediately before the date on which the person is convicted or found guilty of the current offence;

“residential address”, for an individual, means the individual’s usual or last known place of residence in Singapore;

“ride”, in relation to a bicycle, PAB or personal mobility device, means to travel in or on the bicycle, PAB or personal mobility device;

“ride” or “riding”, only in relation to a motor vehicle that drives itself, means —

(a)	cause or causing the vehicle to operate and move; or
(b)	initiate or initiating the operation and movement of the vehicle without the need for anyone to operate or permit the operation of systems that cause the vehicle to move;

“rider” means an individual who is riding a bicycle, PAB or personal mobility device, but does not include an individual walking beside and pushing any of these vehicles;

“road” has the meaning given by the Road Traffic Act 1961;

“sell” means doing any of the following in Singapore:

(a)	sell (including resell) by any method for valuable consideration;
(b)	let for hire or hire‑purchase;
(c)	supply in exchange for valuable consideration or as a prize or reward in lottery or other game of chance;

“shared path” means a length or area of path provided for use by both riders and pedestrians, starting at a shared path sign or shared path marking, and ending at the nearest of the following:

(a)	an end‑of shared path sign or an end‑of shared path marking;
(b)	a pedestrian‑only path sign or a pedestrian‑only path marking;
(c)	a road;
(d)	the natural end of the path (which may be a dead end);

“shared path marking” means a marking drawn, etched or painted on a path —

(a)

consisting of —

(i)	a prescribed symbol or prescribed words or both; and
(ii)	if the marking has a limited operation, words or figures specifying details of the operation of the marking; and

(b)

drawn, etched or painted so as to face an approaching pedestrian or rider;

“shared path sign” means a sign —

(a)

showing —

(i)	a prescribed symbol or prescribed words or both; and
(ii)	if the sign has a limited operation, words or figures specifying details of the operation of the sign; and

(b)

erected so as to face an approaching pedestrian or rider;

“sidewalk” means a path adjacent to the carriageway of a road that is set aside —

(a)	solely for pedestrians to use; or
(b)	for the public to walk, or ride a bicycle or personal mobility device, on or do any combination of those activities on it;

“test authority”, for a class or description of test-needed-to-drive vehicle, means an individual designated by the Minister to be a test authority for that class or description of test‑needed‑to‑drive vehicle;

“test-needed-to-drive vehicle” means a class or description of bicycle, personal mobility device, PAB, motorised wheelchair, mobility scooter or mechanised sweeper that is prescribed in regulations for the purposes of Division 2A of Part 3;

“Town Council”, for a Town, means a Town Council established under the Town Councils Act 1988 for a Town within the meaning of that Act;

“uncertified vehicle” means a bicycle, personal mobility device, motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter which does not have in force a certificate issued under section 35C where an inspection or periodic inspections of the vehicle is required under section 35A;

“uncertified vehicle advertisement” means an advertisement that gives publicity to, or otherwise promotes or is intended to promote the purchase or use of, an uncertified vehicle or a range of uncertified vehicles;

“under-aged rider”, in relation to a motorised PMD, means an individual riding the PMD who is below the prescribed minimum riding age for riding the motorised PMD on a shared path;

“unregistered”, in relation to a registrable personal mobility device, means a registrable personal mobility device —

(a)	that is not registered under Part 3A; or
(b)	whose registration is cancelled under that Part;

“use-incompatible signage”, in relation to any public path, means a sign signifying or prohibiting a use of the public path which is inconsistent with the permitted use of that path under Division 1 or 2 of Part 3;

“vehicle” means any means of conveyance that runs on wheels, other than a train;

“volunteer public path warden” means an individual who is appointed a volunteer public path warden under section 40;

“wayfinding signage” includes a directional sign for the purpose of directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic to, or advising the public of, the location of any event, amenity, facility or place;

“wheelchair” means a chair mounted on 2 or more wheels that is built to transport a person who is unable to walk or has difficulty in walking, but does not include a pram, stroller or trolley;

“wheeled toy” means a child’s pedal car, scooter or tricycle or a similar toy, but only when it is being used only by a child who is below 12 years of age.

[38/2018; 9/2020; 26/2020; 12/2021]

(2) Where a pedestrian‑only path, footpath or shared path passes over a bridge or through a tunnel, that bridge or tunnel is taken, for the purposes of this Act, to be a pedestrian‑only path, footpath or shared path, as the case may be.

(3) For the purposes of this Act, any notice or other document that is required by or under this Act to be sent or given to the Authority or an authorised officer is taken to be sent or given only when it is actually received by the Authority or the authorised officer, as the case may be.

(4) A reference in this Act to an individual performing duties in the Authority is a reference to —

(a)	an employee of the Authority; or
(b)	a public officer performing duties in the Authority under a secondment arrangement making available temporarily to the Authority the services of public officers.

(5) For the purposes of this Act, a motor vehicle is constructed to drive itself if its construction enables it to operate in a mode in which it is not being controlled and does not need to be monitored by an individual in or on the vehicle.

[9/2020]

(6) To avoid doubt, a reference in this Act to an offence under or a contravention of any Part includes a reference to an offence under or a contravention of any regulations made for the purposes of that Part.

[9/2020]

Purposes of Act

3. The purposes of this Act are —

(a)	to enhance connectivity by supporting development that promotes walking and cycling and patronage of public transport;
(b)	to maintain and promote the safety of public path users through appropriate enforcement and education strategies;
(c)	to reduce potential conflicts between the motorised and non‑motorised uses of public paths while ensuring that public paths accommodate the largest range of possible users safely; and
(d)	to ensure that uses of public paths are compatible with the areas surrounding it.

Act binds Government

4.—(1) This Act binds the Government, and applies to and in relation to —

(a)	any bicycle, power‑assisted bicycle or personal mobility device belonging to the Government; and
(b)	any public officer, public path warden or volunteer public path warden riding or otherwise using a bicycle, power‑assisted bicycle or personal mobility device.

(2) However, nothing in this Act —

(a)	renders the Government liable to prosecution for an offence under this Act; or
(b)	prevents any public officer, public path warden or volunteer public path warden from exercising his or her powers or carrying out his or her duties under this Act or any other written law.

(3) To avoid doubt, no person is immune from prosecution for any offence under this Act by reason only that the person is engaged to provide services to the Government.

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