Written Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran to Parliamentary Question on Licence for Road Cyclists and Introduction of Insurance, Bicycle Registration and Other Measures to Increase Safety and Coverage for Cycling-Related Accidents

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Transport whether compulsory licences can be issued to all road cyclists after they complete online courses on the Highway Code.

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Transport whether the Government will consider creating special bicycle lanes on public roads so as to increase safety for both pedestrians and cyclists.

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Transport whether introducing mandatory insurance for cyclists and registration of bicycles will increase accountability and provide better coverage for cycling-related accidents.

Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran:

1.     Cycling is a healthy and environmentally friendly way to travel. The key is to facilitate cycling while ensuring the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

2.     Where possible, we will build more off-road cycling paths, which are safer for cyclists of all proficiencies. We plan to triple our cycling path network from about 460 kilometres (km) today to 1,320km by 2030. However, it is not always possible to have separate paths for cyclists in land-scarce Singapore. To enhance road safety, it is important to have clear rules for motorists and cyclists, and for all road users to follow these rules.

3.     The Active Mobility Advisory Panel (AMAP) is reviewing the safety rules and regulations for on-road cycling, including areas such as licensing, registration and third-party liability insurance (TPLI).

4.     AMAP has adopted a fair and balanced approach by consulting widely and hearing from different groups of stakeholders. Some are in support of licensing and bicycle registration, so that errant cyclists can be more easily identified. Others have expressed concerns that such measures would increase costs, pose entry barriers for cycling take-up and affect the livelihoods of Singaporeans who use bicycles for work and commute. The experiences from other countries also show that most jurisdictions do not impose licensing, registration and mandatory TPLI.

5.     Road safety is a collective responsibility of all road users. Besides ensuring compliance with rules, we will also look at ways to enhance public education and encourage gracious behaviours on the road. AMAP is studying the different options and trade-offs carefully and will publish the outcomes of its review in due course.