New ‘zero-tolerance’ regulations on the popular vehicles will hit hard thriving food and other speedy delivery services
Beginning January 1, Singapore will enforce a “zero-tolerance” ban on the use of personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as electric scooters, or “e-scooters”, on pedestrian footpaths.
The urbanized city-state had been actively fine-tuning regulations on the usage and safety of the widely popular devices, but in a surprise policy U-turn ordered an immediate sidewalk ban on all e-scooters in November.
The move followed a spate of injuries and fatal accidents involving PMDs, as well as fires in public housing blocks caused by faulty e-scooter batteries. While pedestrians broadly welcomed the ban, it sparked a furor among food-delivery riders whose livelihoods depended on e-scooters, as well as retailers of the once-ubiquitous vehicles.
Since an “advisory period” on the use of e-scooters took effect on November 5, the devices have largely, though not entirely, disappeared from public footpaths. Touted as a game-changer for short-distance travel, PMDs were seen as a convenient solution to last-mile commutes between a person’s home and their nearest train or bus station.
Nile Bowie is a journalist and correspondent with the Asia Times covering current affairs in Singapore and Malaysia. He can be reached at nilebowie@gmail.com.
Beginning January 1, Singapore will enforce a “zero-tolerance” ban on the use of personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as electric scooters, or “e-scooters”, on pedestrian footpaths.
The urbanized city-state had been actively fine-tuning regulations on the usage and safety of the widely popular devices, but in a surprise policy U-turn ordered an immediate sidewalk ban on all e-scooters in November.
The move followed a spate of injuries and fatal accidents involving PMDs, as well as fires in public housing blocks caused by faulty e-scooter batteries. While pedestrians broadly welcomed the ban, it sparked a furor among food-delivery riders whose livelihoods depended on e-scooters, as well as retailers of the once-ubiquitous vehicles.
Since an “advisory period” on the use of e-scooters took effect on November 5, the devices have largely, though not entirely, disappeared from public footpaths. Touted as a game-changer for short-distance travel, PMDs were seen as a convenient solution to last-mile commutes between a person’s home and their nearest train or bus station.
Read the full story at Asia Times.
