PMA speed limit in S’pore set to 6km/h from 1 June, in line with brisk walking pace

PMA speed limit to take effect from 1 June

Personal Mobility Aid (PMA) riders will see a reduction in speed limit on public paths, from 10km/h to 6km/h.

New regulations imposed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are set to take effect from 1 June, as announced by Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng in Parliament on Tuesday (3 Feb).

Besides speed limit changes, new regulations include dimension restrictions and PMA user restrictions.

Speed limit reduction

Mobility vehicle riders travelling on public paths can only ride at a maximum speed of 6km/h, or a brisk walking pace, Mr Baey stated.

Currently, PMA riders have a 10km/h speed limit on public paths. However, Mr Baey noted that experience has shown this limit to be insufficient.

He added: “Travelling at 10km/h may still pose a danger to other path users, as it is much faster than typical walking speed.”

“At 6km/h, mobility vehicles match the pace of a brisk walker, which meets the needs of genuine users who have difficulty walking. This will also make our paths safer,” Mr Baey stated.

From 1 June onwards, an individual riding mobility vehicles at a speed exceeding 6km/h on public paths will face fines of up to S$2,000, six months’ imprisonment, or both.

Selling mobility devices with a device speed limit above 6km/h will carry penalties of up to S$20,000, 24 months’ jail, or both, with higher penalties for repeat offenders.

To ease the transition, mobility vehicles with a speed limit of up to 10 km/h are allowed to be used until 31 Dec 2028.

However, they will be subject to the same 6km/h limit.

Dimension restrictions for PMAs

New dimension restrictions for PMAs have also been announced to combat safety worries.

Those caught selling oversized devices will be subject to penalties of up to S$20,000 or imprisonment of up to 24 months, or both.

Meanwhile, those caught operating them on public paths face fines of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both.

In both instances, repeat offenders will face harsher penalties.

Curbing misuse of PMAs

Also, users must now obtain a Certificate of Medical Need (CMN) to ride a mobility scooter on public paths.

The certificate will be available from 27 Feb onwards, through the Assessment for Mobility Scooter (AMS) process.

Fees are expected to range from S$20 to S$150, with a median of around S$50, according to surveys by LTA.

However, exemptions are placed for several groups, including seniors aged 70 years and above.

Users will have a three-month grace period to obtain certification, said Mr Baey.

Registration of mobility scooters

Mobility scooters are now required to be registered with LTA under the new regulations.

The move is to “strengthen upstream enforcement” and “improve the overall effectiveness of PMA measures”, said Mr Baey.

Existing users will have to register their devices by 1 Jan 2029 at roving stations rolled out by LTA.

Fire safety enforcement

Mr Baey announced a further tightening of measures on fire safety standards.

Previously, only the use of non-UL2272 certified e-scooters was banned and illegal.

Starting 1 June, it will be an offence to keep non-UL2272 certified e-scooters.

Also read: Offences involving PMA lookalikes up by more than 5 times in 2024, LTA taking firm action

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Featured image adapted from MDDI Singapore on YouTube and Land Transport Authority on Facebook.