Road Traffic (Traffic Signs) Rules - Singapore Statutes Online

Road Traffic Act

(Chapter 276, Sections 119 and 140)

Road Traffic (Traffic Signs) Rules

R 33

G.N. No. S 501/1991

REVISED EDITION 1999

(30th September 1999)

[30th September 1999]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (Traffic Signs) Rules.

Prescribed traffic signs

2.—(1) Subject to any directions which the Minister may give under section 119 of the Act, the traffic signs authorised to be drawn or placed on or near any road shall —

(a)	be at least of the size, and conform to the colour and type as prescribed in the diagrams set out in the Schedule; and
(b)	conform to the descriptions set out in these Rules.

(2) The dimension of the traffic signs as given in the diagrams set out in the Schedule denotes the dimension in millimetres unless otherwise stated.

(3) A traffic sign drawn or placed on or near a road shall be deemed to be a prescribed traffic sign and to have been so lawfully drawn or placed unless the contrary is proved.

(4) The fact that a traffic sign differs slightly in size, colour or type from that prescribed in these Rules shall not prevent the traffic sign from being a regular or lawful sign so long as the sign is not thereby misleading or its general appearance materially altered or its effectiveness impaired.

Types of traffic signs

3. The traffic signs set out in the Schedule are divided as follows:

(a)

regulatory signs as set out in Part I of the Schedule which are intended to inform road users of special obligations, restrictions and prohibitions with which they must comply and are subdivided into —

(i)	mandatory signs;
(ii)	priority signs; and
(iii)	prohibitory or restrictive signs;

(b)

warning signs as set out in Part II of the Schedule which are intended to warn road users of the danger on the road and to inform them of the nature and source of the danger; and

(c)

informative signs as set out in Part III of the Schedule which are intended to provide road users with information which may be useful while they are travelling.

Inscriptions on signs

4. The inscription on the traffic signs shall be in the English language except that there may also be inscription in another language or languages on the signs.

Change of directions

5. The direction of any arrow or other indication on the signs shown in the diagrams in the Schedule may be reversed or otherwise varied as circumstances may require.

Parking places

6. The signs shown in diagrams 36 (a) to 36 (f) in Part I of the Schedule shall be used only in connection with parking places owned by or under the control of the Government or statutory bodies.

Lines, markings or traffic devices on roads

7.—(1) Lines, markings and other traffic devices may be drawn or placed on a road to indicate —

(a)	the position where vehicles shall stop or reduce speed when required to do so by a traffic sign, or a police officer engaged in the control of traffic;
(b)	the course and direction to be followed by traffic;
(c)	a street refuge;
(d)	places reserved for bus terminals, bus stops, taxi stands, taxi stops, trishaw stands, motor cycle parks, bicycle parks, car parks, coach parks, lorry parks, trailer parks, loading and unloading bays and vehicles of handicapped persons;
(e)	a pedestrian crossing;
(f)	a bicycle crossing;
(g)	the edge of the road;
(h)	a central reservation which divides the road for the safety or guidance of traffic;
(i)	a yellow box;
(j)	a road shoulder along an expressway;
(k)	a bus lane; [S 639/2005 wef 03/10/2005]
(l)	the section of the road where parking of vehicles is restricted or prohibited;
(m)	the boundary on the road which no vehicle, whether overtaking other vehicles or not, shall cross; and
(n)	a parking place or a public service vehicle stand. [S 651/2008 wef 20/12/2008]

(2) The lines, markings and other traffic devices drawn or placed on a road shall be painted or indicated by other suitable material in white, yellow or red.

(3) The width of longitudinal lines on a road shall not be less than 100 mm and the width of transverse lines on a road shall not be less than 200 mm.

(4) A zebra pedestrian crossing is indicated by markings across a road as shown in diagram 142 (a), 142 (b), 143 (a), 143 (b), 144 (a) or 144 (b) in Part III of the Schedule and such crossing may, in addition, also be identified on either side of the road by a pair of —

(a)	traffic signs facing approaching vehicles as set out in diagram 125 (a) in Part III of the Schedule; or
(b)	amber beacons of not less than 300 mm in diameter which may be intermittently or otherwise internally illuminated.

(5) A signalised pedestrian crossing is indicated by 2 parallel white lines each of not less than 200 mm in width and spaced not less than 3,000 mm apart from centre to centre from one edge of the road to the other as shown in diagrams 140 (a) and 145 in Part III of the Schedule.

[S 572/2005 wef 01/09/2005]

(6) A pedestrian crossing (other than a signalised pedestrian crossing) at a signal-controlled junction is indicated by 2 parallel yellow lines each of not less than 300 mm in width and spaced not less than 3,000 mm apart from the centre to centre from one edge of the road to the other as shown in diagram 140 (e) in Part III of the Schedule.

(7) A signalised bicycle crossing is indicated by 2 parallel white lines each of not less than 300 mm in width and spaced not less than 3,000 mm apart from the centre of one line to the other and with the 2 lines running from one edge of the road, subway or bridge, as the case may be, to the other as shown in diagram 145 (a) in Part III of the Schedule.

(8) A yellow box is indicated by yellow lines connecting the 4 corners of an area of road at a road junction or on any part of the road as shown in diagrams 140 (a) to 140 (d) in Part III of the Schedule.

(9) A road shoulder is the strip constructed with a surface suitable for motor vehicles to move along or stop, along the left (nearside) or right (offside) of a road and is demarcated from the road by a continuous white marginal line of not less than 300 mm in width as shown in diagram 151 (e) in Part III of the Schedule.

(10) The edge of a road is indicated by a continuous or broken white marginal line of not less than 300 mm in width as shown in diagrams 139 (b) and 139 (c) in Part III of the Schedule.

(11) A bus lane is the section of a road marked by a longitudinal continuous yellow line of not less than 300 mm in width and transverse yellow lines of not less than 200 mm in width and 1,200 mm in length as shown in diagrams 115 (a) to 115 (d) in Part III of the Schedule.

[S 639/2005 wef 03/10/2005]

(12) The boundary which no vehicle shall cross under paragraph (1)(m) is indicated by continuous double white lines as shown in diagram 150 (a) in Part III of the Schedule.

(13) A parking place or a public service vehicle stand is indicated by broken or continuous lines as shown in diagram 156 in Part III of the Schedule.

Bus lanes

8.—(1) Except on a Sunday or a public holiday, no person shall drive a vehicle other than an omnibus, or cause or permit any such vehicle to remain, on a bus lane during the hours of —

(a)	7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. on a weekday other than a Saturday; and
(b)	7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. on a Saturday.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to —

(a)	the driver of an ambulance, fire engine or any vehicle for police or rescue purposes on urgent duty call if the approach of such vehicle is made known by means of some distinctive siren, bell or multi-toned horn, as the case may be;
(b)	a cyclist who is not cycling alongside of another bicycle on his left;
(c)	the driver of a motor vehicle who drives along the bus lane in order to avoid causing danger to any person or a collision with any other vehicle if that driver does not cause or permit the vehicle to remain on the bus lane longer than is necessary to avoid causing such danger or collision; and
(d)	the driver of a school bus, a private hire bus or an excursion bus which is being used for the carriage of passengers for reward under a Supplementary Public Transport Scheme in accordance with the terms and conditions of a permit issued by the Registrar under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (R 14) and a bus service licence issued under the Public Transport Council Act (Cap. 259B). [S 549/2001 wef 01/11/2001]

Road divider

9. No vehicle shall pass over a road divider.

Light signals for vehicles

10. Vehicular traffic may be regulated by the following light signals:

(a)	a 3-colour system;
(b)	a 2-colour system;
(c)	lane use light signals; and
(d)	restricted zone light signals.

The 3-colour system

11. In a 3-colour system —

(a)

the signals shall consist of 3 lights, which shall be red, amber and green respectively, except that there may be —

(i)	one or more additional green arrow lights; or
(ii)	such other additional green light or lights as may be provided for in this rule for special purposes;

(b)

the red, amber and green lights shall be arranged vertically or horizontally facing the direction of approaching traffic and —

(i)	where they are arranged vertically, the red light shall be placed above the amber light and the green light shall be placed below the amber light;
(ii)	where they are arranged horizontally, the red light shall be placed on the right of the amber light and the green light shall be placed on the left of the amber light;

(c)

any additional light referred to in paragraph (a) (i) or (ii) shall be placed at —

(i)	the same level of or below the green light; or
(ii)	the same level of or above the red light, facing the direction of approaching traffic;

(d)

where the red, amber and green lights are arranged vertically —

(i)	the effective diameter of the lens of each light shall be at least 200 mm;
(ii)	the height of the centre of the lens of the green light above the road shall be 2,290 mm except that it may be increased to 3,000 mm where owing to road gradient it is desirable to do so; and
(iii)	the centres of the lenses of 2 lights placed next to each other shall not be more than 350 mm apart;

(e)

where the red, amber and green lights are arranged horizontally —

(i)	the effective diameter of the lens of each light shall be at least 300 mm;
(ii)	the height of the centre of the lens of each light above the road shall not be less than 5,200 mm; and
(iii)	the centres of the lenses of 2 lights placed next to each other shall not be more than 400 mm apart; and

(f)

subject to the directions of any police officer who may be engaged in the control of traffic —

(i)

the illuminated red light shall be taken as prohibiting vehicles from proceeding beyond the stop line or broken lines on the road provided in conjunction with the signals, subject to sub-paragraphs (v) and (ix);

(ii)

the illuminated amber light shall be taken to denote an impending change from green light to red right and as prohibiting vehicles from proceeding beyond the stop line or broken lines on the road provided in conjunction with the signals except in the case of any vehicle which is so close to such line when the amber light first appears that it cannot safely be stopped before the line;

(iii)

the illuminated green light shall be taken to indicate that vehicles may pass the signal and proceed straight on, or with due regard to the safety of other users of the road and precedence to on-coming traffic, turn left or right subject to any sign prohibiting left or right turn;

(iv)

where the green light shows one or more illuminated arrow or arrows, it shall be taken to indicate that vehicles may only proceed in the direction or directions indicated by the arrow or arrows (where the arrow points upwards, vehicles may only proceed straight ahead);

(v)

where the signals consist of one or more additional green arrow light or lights —

(A)	the illuminated green arrow light or lights shall be taken to indicate that vehicles, notwithstanding that they would otherwise be required by the illuminated red or amber light to stop, may proceed in the direction or directions indicated by the green arrow or arrows; and
(B)	the illuminated intermittent green arrow flashing light shall be taken as prohibiting vehicles from proceeding beyond the stop line on the road provided in conjunction with the signals except in the case of any vehicle which is so close to such line when the green arrow light first flashes that it cannot be safely stopped before the line;

(vi)

where the signals consist of an additional green light showing the letter “B”, it shall be taken to indicate that any omnibus in the innermost left lane of the road before the stop line or broken lines on the road provided in conjunction with the signals may —

(A)	notwithstanding that it would otherwise be required by the illuminated red light to stop; and
(B)	if its path is not obstructed by another vehicle,

pass the signal and proceed straight on;

(vii)

the illuminated intermittent red light flashing at the rate of between 60 to 80 flashes per minute shall be taken to indicate that vehicles shall stop at the stop line provided in conjunction with the signals and may thereafter, with caution and due regard to the safety of other users of the road and precedence to traffic in other directions, proceed beyond the stop line;

(viii)

the illuminated intermittent amber light flashing at the rate of between 60 to 80 flashes per minute shall be taken to indicate that vehicles shall slow down on approaching the signals and may thereafter, with caution and due regard to the safety of other users of the road, proceed beyond the stop line provided in conjunction with the signals; and

(ix)

where allowed by the appropriate sign as shown in diagram 161 (a) or 161 (b) in Part III of the Schedule, a vehicle which —

(A)	is on a lane from which a left turn or a right turn may, by virtue of any sign or marking as shown in the Schedule, be made; and
(B)	in compliance with the illuminated red light, has stopped at the stop line or broken lines on the road provided in conjunction with the signals,

may, with caution and due regard to the safety of other users of the road and precedence to pedestrians and to traffic in other directions, proceed beyond the stop line or broken lines and make a left turn or a right turn, as the case may be.

The 2-colour system

12.—(1) In a 2-colour system —

(a)	the signals shall consist of a red and green light; and
(b)	the red light and the green light shall not be illuminated simultaneously.

(2) The 2-colour system shall only be used in temporary installations.

Light signals for lanes

13. In the case of light signals regulating the use of traffic lanes —

(a)	the signals shall consist of 3 lights, which shall be a green downward arrow light, an amber inclined crossed bars light and a red inclined crossed bars light respectively and arranged horizontally facing the direction of approaching traffic;
(b)	the effective diameter of the lens of each light shall be at least 300 mm;
(c)	the height of the centre of the lens of each light above the road shall not be less than 5,200 mm;
(d)	the centres of the lenses of 2 lights placed next to each other shall not be more than 400 mm apart;
(e)	the illuminated green light shall be taken to indicate that vehicles may proceed along the lane over which the light is placed;
(f)	the illuminated intermittent amber flashing light shall be taken to indicate that vehicles may proceed with caution along the lane over which the light is placed; and
(g)	the illuminated red light shall be taken to indicate that vehicles shall not proceed beyond the signal light along the lane over which the light is placed.

Miniature light signals

14. The 3-colour system light signals may be supplemented with miniature light signals which shall be the same as the 3-colour system light signals where the red, amber and green lights are arranged vertically except that —

(a)	the effective diameter of the lens of each light shall be at least 100 mm;
(b)	the height of the centre of the lens of the green light above the road shall be at least 1,200 mm; and
(c)	the centres of the lenses of 2 lights placed next to each other shall not be more than 150 mm apart.

Light signals for pedestrians

15.—(1) Light signals may be used to indicate to pedestrians the period during which they should or should not cross the road.

(2) The light signals for pedestrians shall consist of one red light with the figure of a red man standing upright and one green light with the figure of a green man walking.

(3) The effective diameter of the lens of each light shall not be less than 300 mm.

(4) The height of the centre of the lens of the green light above the road shall be 2,290 mm except that it may be increased where owing to road gradient it is desirable to do so.

(5) The centre of the lenses of the lights shall not be more than 350 mm apart.

(6) The post on which the lights are supported may be painted black and yellow in alternate horizontal bands.

(7) The illuminated red man light shall be taken to indicate that the pedestrian shall not cross the road.

(8) The illuminated green man light shall be taken to indicate that the pedestrian may cross the road.

(9) The flashing green man light shall be taken to indicate that the red man light is about to be illuminated.

Light signals for bicycles

16.—(1) Light signals may be used to indicate to cyclists the period during which they should or should not cross the road, subway or bridge, as the case may be.

(2) The light signals for cyclists shall consist of one red light with the picture of a red bicycle and one green light with the picture of a green bicycle.

(3) The effective diameter of the lens of each light shall not be less than 300 mm.

(4) The height of the centre of the lens of the green light above the surface of the road, including that in a subway or on a bridge, as the case may be, shall be 2,290 mm except that it may be increased where owing to the gradient of the surface it is desirable to do so.

(5) The centre of the lens of the lights shall not be more than 350 mm apart.

(6) The post on which the lights are supported may be painted black and yellow in alternate horizontal bands.

(7) The illuminated red bicycle light shall be taken to indicate that the cyclist shall not cross the road.

(8) The illuminated green bicycle light shall be taken to indicate that the cyclist may cross the road.

(9) The flashing green bicycle light shall be taken to indicate that the red bicycle light is about to be illuminated.

Temporary beacons

17.—(1) Temporary beacons showing an intermittent amber flashing light may be used on special occasions or in connection with road works to assist the safe movement of traffic.

(2) The temporary beacons shall conform to the following provisions:

(a)	the effective diameter of the lenses shall not be less than 125 mm nor more than 200 mm;
(b)	the height of the centre of the lens above the road shall not be less than 1,000 mm nor more than 1,200 mm;
(c)	the rate of flashing shall be between 60 to 80 flashes per minute; and
(d)	the beacons shall be mounted on a beam or a traffic cone or posted on to a barricade.

Temporary signs for road works

18.—(1) Where road works are in progress or where for some other reason the width of the road is temporarily reduced, the traffic signs in diagrams 7 and 8 in Part I of the Schedule may be used to control traffic.

(2) Nothing in this rule shall prevent the use for the purpose stated in paragraph (1) of devices which on 15th November 1991 are already in the possession of the Government, any statutory body which has the lawful authority to break up a road, or the contractors engaged in the business of marking and repairing roads.

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