No. S 401
Road Traffic Act
(Chapter 276)
Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) (Amendment) Rules 2009
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore hereby makes the following Rules:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Rules may be cited as the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) (Amendment) Rules 2009 and shall come into operation on 1st September 2009.
Amendment of rule 2
2.  Rule 2(1) of the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Construction and Use) Rules (R 9) (referred to in these Rules as the principal Rules) is amended by deleting the words “seats are provided” in the definition of “deck” and substituting the words “seats may be provided”.
New rule 50
3.  The principal Rules are amended by inserting, immediately after rule 49, the following rule:
Goods vehicle fitted with permanent overhead structure
50.—(1)  Unless the Registrar permits otherwise, every goods vehicle which has an open deck for the carriage of goods and is to be used to carry any person on the floor of the vehicle shall be fitted with an overhead structure to provide adequate shelter for the persons seated on the floor of the vehicle —
(a)with effect from 1st January 2010 where the vehicle is registered on or after 1st January 2010; or
(b)with effect from 1st September 2012 where the vehicle is registered before 1st January 2010.
(2)  The overhead structure referred to in paragraph (1) shall —
(a)be constructed of metal or other suitable materials  of such size, as the Registrar or an officer authorised by him in that behalf may approve; and
(b)be securely and rigidly attached to the vehicle.
(3)  The Registrar or an officer authorised by him in that behalf may refuse to approve any overhead structure fitted on a vehicle under paragraph (1) if the design, construction, strength or rigidity of the overhead structure is, in the view of the Registrar or the officer, as the case may be, inadequate for safety.”.
Amendment of rule 51
4.  Rule 51 of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by deleting paragraph (1) and substituting the following paragraph:
(1)  Every vehicle to which this rule applies shall —
(a)in the case of a goods vehicle referred to in paragraph (4)(a) and (b), be fitted with protective railings along the whole length of the side-boards on both sides of the vehicle up to a height of not less than 550 millimetres from the floor of the vehicle and not less than 150 millimetres from the top of the side-boards; and
(b)in the case of a goods vehicle referred to in paragraph (4)(c) and (d), be fitted with protective railings along the whole length of the side-boards on both sides of the vehicle up to a height of not less than 700 millimetres from the floor of the vehicle and not less than 300 millimetres from the top of the side-boards.”;
(b)by deleting the word “or” at the end of paragraph (4)(a); and
(c)by deleting the full-stop at the end of sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (4) and substituting a semi-colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following sub-paragraphs:
(c)any goods vehicle, which has an open deck for the carriage of goods, registered on or after 1st January 2010 and is to be used to carry any person on the floor of the vehicle; or
(d)any goods vehicle, which has an open deck for the carriage of goods, registered before 1st January 2010 and is to be used to carry any person on the floor of the vehicle on or after 1st September 2012.”.
[G.N. Nos. S 7/2001; S 431/2001; S 271/2002; S 771/2004; S 5/2005; S 127/2005; S 83/2006]

Made this 31st day of August 2009.

MICHAEL LIM CHOO SAN
Chairman,
Land Transport Authority of Singapore.
[LTA/AD/RT(MVCU)/01/09; AG/LEG/SL/276/2005/22 Vol. 2]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 141(1) of the Road Traffic Act).