The Ministry of Transport in Singapore has confirmed they have accepted all recommendations made by the state's Active Mobility Advisory Panel, which will see e-bike riders having to pass a theory test and under 16's being banned from riding e-scooters on public paths.
The panel submitted the recommendations to 'improve the safety of pedestrians and active mobility device users', and it will also include pedestrians in a new code of conduct that will encourage them to keep left on footpaths.
Other recommendations on top of the 'theory test' for e-bike and e-scooter users include compulsory third-party liability insurance for those who use e-scooters for work (such as delivery couriers) and banning the use of mobile phones when riding an active mobility device.
The Ministry of Transport said: "We will expand the current code of conduct, which focuses on device users, to include guidelines to encourage pedestrians to keep left, keep to footpaths and for all path users to be alert to their surroundings."
Singapore has moved the goalposts on e-mobility considerably in the last few years, with e-scooters now banned on footpaths - they can stille be used on Singapore's 440km of cycle paths across the island. Following the e-scooter path ban, the government offered around 7,000 delivery riders the opportunity to reduce the cost of switching to an e-bike, backed by a $7 million grant. The Singapore cycle path network is set to grow to 750km by 2025.
What do you think of these new rules in Singapore, and can you see it happening in the UK? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
