PMAs to have 6kmh speed limit, medical certification needed for mobility scooter users from Q1 2026 (2025)

SINGAPORE – From the first quarter of 2026, only people who are certified with medical needs can use mobility scooters.

The speed limit for mobility scooters and other types of motorised personal mobility aids (PMAs) will also be reduced to 6kmh from 10kmh, said Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, on March 5 during a debate on the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) budget.

Under the ActiveMobilityAct, PMAs are typically mobilityscooters and wheelchairs, both motorised and non-motorised,designed to carry an individual who cannot walk or has walking difficulties. These devices can be used only on public paths, including footpaths and cycling paths.

The new PMA regulations were among a slew of announcements made by the transport authorities on March 5.

Other plans include an expansion of pedestrian-friendly streets to another 15 locations and a $1 billion investment in the aviation sector.

1. Tightened PMA regulations from Q1 2026

To improve path safety and prevent the misuse of PMAs, users of mobility scooters must be medically certified for mobility issues from the first quarter of 2026.

The rule does not apply to users who are prescribed government-subsidised mobility scooters before the law kicks in as they will be automatically certified, or to users of manual and motorised wheelchairs.

Existing and new users of non-subsidised mobility scooterscan approach their regular doctor to do a medical assessment for the certification from the fourth quarter of 2025, said Mr Baey. He added thatnew users of subsidised scooterscan visit their regular doctor or occupational therapist to obtain this.

Mr Baey said the Government will give users some time to obtain certification, and enforcement officers will engage with users on the new rules during the transition period.

“Users do not have to approach healthcare professionals to obtain certification now,” Mr Baey added, encouraging them to wait for more details to be released in the third quarter of 2025.

On enforcement, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) noted that the Government will maintain a registry of those certified to use a mobility scooter. During checks, these users can either show the enforcement officers a digital or physical copy of their certificate, or provide their identification details for officers to check against the registry.

Also from the first quarter of 2026, all PMAs travelling on public paths must comply with size restrictions currently enforced on public transport: a width of 70cm, length of 120cm, height of 150cm and a combined weight of up to 300kg with the rider on board.

It will be an offence to display, advertise or sell PMAs that exceed the dimensions.

Additionally, PMAs with a speed limit above 6kmh will no longer be allowed for sale.

From the first quarter of 2026, the speed limit of PMAs will be reduced from 10kmh to 6kmh, similar to the speed of brisk walking.

Mr Baey noted that 6kmh is a reasonable top speed, since PMAs are meant for people with walking difficulties.

On the roll-out of the new speed limit, Mr Baey said the exact timeline will depend on when the legislation is passed in Parliament, which is set for later in 2025.

Existing devices with a speed limit of up to 10kmh can still be used until the end of 2028, as long as they travel at speeds of 6kmh or below and comply with the new dimension limits, said Mr Baey.

Regarding these rules, MOT and LTA have asked the Digital Platforms Industry Association – which has delivery platforms Deliveroo, foodpanda and Grab as its members – and the National Delivery Champions Association for feedback.

The platforms will manage customers’ expectations regarding potentially longer delivery times by sharing information about the type of device used by the rider and the expected waiting time.

In March 2024, MOT had accepted recommendations from the Active Mobility Advisory Panel on regulating the use of PMAs to address concerns about the misuse of mobility scooters by able-bodied people.

Mr Baey cited observations of incidents in other cities where mobility devices caught fire on public transport, which resulted in a ban on such devices in these spaces. He noted that there has been no fire incident involving such devices on buses and trains here.

However, the safety risk is amplified in such enclosed, crowded spaces, which could lead to potentially serious consequences for surrounding passengers, he added. Therefore, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel will consult the public on the safety and mobility needs of commuters, before reviewing regulations concerning mobility vehicles on public transport.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) told Parliament that he has received complaints about users charging their illegally modified personal mobility devices at Housing Board void decks, and taking these non-compliant vehicles on public transport, which may pose fire risks to the public.

2. Pedestrian-friendly streets expanded to 15 more spots

The Friendly Streets initiative, which makes roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists through the modification of roads connected to places such as markets, MRT stations and schools, will be expanded to 15 more locations.

These locations are Boon Lay, Bukit Timah, Fengshan, Geylang, Jurong West, Opera Estate, Pasir Ris, Queenstown, Simei, Tanjong Pagar, Telok Blangah, Thomson, Woodlands, Yew Tee and Yishun.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said these towns have a higher proportion of seniors or young families living in public and private housing estates, who will benefit most from the scheme.

As at March 2025, LTA has completed the five pilot Friendly Streets projects in Ang Mo Kio, West Coast, Bukit Batok West, Toa Payoh and Tampines, it said.

It has also completed the community engagement for the 10 sites announced during MOT’s budget debate in 2024. It will progressively start traffic works in the first half of 2025 before completing them by 2026.

Dr Khor said that from Jan 1, 2026, motorists who commit traffic offences that endanger others, such as speeding or running red lights, within Friendly Streets will incur two additional demerit points, in addition to the prevailing demerit points for the offences. Composition fines for these offences committed within Friendly Streets will also be raised by $100.

Citing varied school schedules as the reason, she added that the 40kmh speed limit in school zones will apply throughout the day from Jan 1, 2026, extending beyond the current periods during school arrival and dismissal times.

3. New road repurposing projects

New road repurposing projects in Tanjong Pagar, Bedok and Tampines will start progressively in 2025, said LTA.

The roadside carpark spaces in Tanjong Pagar Road, between Craig Road and Maxwell Road, will be repurposed into cycling paths and wider footpaths, allowing for more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly connections between Tanjong Pagar and Maxwell MRT stations.

Centre dividers and road humps will also be added to slow down vehicles.

In Bedok, a 90m stretch of Bedok North Street 4 near the junction intersecting Bedok North Road will be modified to create a safer walking experience for residents travelling on foot between Bedok 85 Market and Fengshan neighbourhood centre. An adjacent HDB carpark will also be closed to create a new community space for residents, added Dr Khor.

In Tampines, a 50m stretch of Tampines Central 5 will be pedestrianised to create a seamless walking route for people travelling between Tampines MRT station and the malls nearby. This is because there is very high foot traffic in the area, where around 60,000 pedestrians travel between Tampines MRT station and the malls each day, said Dr Khor.

4. New commuter behaviour guidelines for buses from March 10

To create a more pleasant commuting experience for bus passengers, LTA will introduce new guidelines on expected commuter behaviour from March 10.

Called the Conditions of Carriage, the guidelines will formalise expectations of commuter behaviour such as orderliness, safety, maintenance of public health and cleanliness, as well as being gracious and inclusive.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said he has asked LTA and the operators to step up their enforcement efforts by strengthening their regulatory powers and increasing penalties to deter non-compliant commuters, especially repeat offenders and those who refuse to cooperate when advised by public transport workers.

Mr Baey said the Government will increase patrolling and enforcement against inconsiderate commuter behaviour on trains and buses.

He noted that regulations on board buses are more limited than those for rail, which is why the Conditions of Carriage are being rolled out.

These new guidelines will set out what transport workers can do to alleviate situations with uncooperative commuters, added Mr Baey, and bus drivers can instruct disruptive commuters to alight from the bus or activate the police in extreme cases.

They will set the norm for expected commuter behaviour, so that other passengers can raise instances of inconsiderate behaviour to the bus driver’s attention, said LTA.

He added that the regulatory framework to manage passenger behaviour will be aligned across trains and buses by 2026. LTA said more details about enforcement for the Conditions of Carriage will be released in the first half of 2026.

“Those who behave egregiously will face penalties commensurate with the severity of their impact on other commuters, with higher penalties for repeat offenders,” said Mr Baey.

Currently, those convicted of being a public nuisance may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three months, or both.

On noisy passengers, Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang)said the Government can move beyond courtesy campaigns to have a structured system of personal accountability backed by clear regulations and effective enforcement.

Citing how other cities such as Shanghai and France have rolled out bans or fines on using loudspeakers on public transport, Mr Tan suggested setting a definitive decibel limit of 60 to 70 decibels, similar to the volume of a regular conversation. This is to set a clear and objective benchmark for what is considered noisy.

5. New grant for electrification of heavy vehicles, extension of EV charger grant in condos

Describing the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as healthy, Dr Khor said 38 per cent of new cars registered were electric in January 2025.

To support this growth, LTA will extend the EV common charger grant for condominiums by another year, till Dec 31, 2026, and expand the total number of EV chargers it will co-fund from 2,000 to 3,500 chargers, she added.

The authority will continue to co-fund 50 per cent of the cost of smart chargers, but at a lower cap of $3,000 per charger – down from the previous cap of $4,000 – for up to 1 per cent of carpark spaces at each non-landed private residence or condominium.

LTA said this grant will be available until Dec 31, 2026, or until 3,500 chargers have been approved for co-funding, whichever comes first.

To date, the EV common charger grant has co-funded the installation of about 1,700 chargers in more than 500 – or one in three – non-landed private residences.

Additionally, to narrow the gap in lifecycle costs between an electric and internal combustion engineheavy vehicle, the heavy vehicle zero emissions scheme and electric heavy vehicle charger grant will be introduced, said Dr Khor.

LTA noted that in 2024, only 0.9 per cent of newly registered heavy goods vehicles and 12.6 per cent of newly registered buses were electric. This is lower than the figures for newly registered electric non-heavy vehicles, which stand at around one-third for new cars and about half for light goods vehicles.

Under the new heavy vehicle zero emissions scheme, owners who register a zero-tailpipe-emissions heavy goods vehicle or bus from Jan 1, 2026 will receive an incentive of $40,000, which will be automatically disbursed in tranches to the owners over three years.

The first $13,000 will be given to the vehicle owner upon vehicle registration, another $13,000 on the first anniversary, and the final $14,000 on the second anniversary. This grant will be available until Dec 31, 2028.

The new electric heavy vehicle charger grant will co-fund up to 50 per cent of charger installation costs from Jan 1, 2026, capped at $30,000 per charger.

It will be applicable to the first 500 chargers, with a limit of up to three chargers per site, and will be available till Dec 31, 2028. LTA said more details about the application process will be provided later in 2025.

6. Aviation: $1b investment into sector

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will commit $1 billion to improving connectivity, infrastructure, innovation and technology, as well as manpower within the aviation sector over the next five years, said Mr Chee.

Separate from the $5 billion top-up to the Changi Airport Development Fund, this $1 billion will be used to expand Singapore’s network of city links, fund the development of airport infrastructure, translate research and development into operational capabilities, and upgrade the skills of workers.

Noting that the airport is off to a good start in 2025, Mr Chee said its passenger numbers exceeded 11.5 million for the first two months, a 7 per cent increase from the same period in 2024.

Singapore aims to be linked by air to more than 200 cities in the mid-2030s, when Changi Airport Terminal 5 is ready. It is currently connected to more than 160 cities.

CAAS said it will work with economic agencies and companies to assess opportunities for additional links, and develop schemes to support new connections.

It added that it will continue to work with foreign civil aviation authorities to support increased air connectivity, such as further liberalising traffic rights.

7. Maritime: More sea space allocated to trial technologies

More sea space in the western anchorages and off Changi will be allocated to companies to conduct technology trials, in addition to the current test-bedding site off Raffles Reserved Anchorage, near Semakau Island.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said this expansion would enable companies to conduct testing under actual conditions, helping to validate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of solutions.

It added that this will speed up companies’ technology development cycles and the commercialisation of solutions.

MPA noted that new technological solutions that can be tested could include autonomous collection of floating wood and waste material, robotic hull cleaning, and smart and remote harbour craft operations, as well as maritime drone inspection and delivery.

Correction note: An earlier version of this story stated that existing users of non-subsidised mobility scooters can approach a doctor or occupational therapist to obtain medical certification. This is incorrect. They can visit their regular doctor to do so, as can new users of non-subsidised mobility scooters. New users of subsidised scooters can visit their regular doctor or occupational therapist to obtain the certification.

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