SINGAPORE – Officers will take a reasonable approach when enforcing the proper use of pedestrian-only paths, said Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng, reassuring cyclists that they will not be unfairly targeted and fined.

In a Facebook post late on July 2, Mr Baey said the focus is on “errant cyclists who speed or ride in a reckless manner on paths”, putting others in danger.

From July 1, cyclists and users of non-motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as kick scooters

can be penalised for riding on designated pedestrian-only footpaths

located in towns across Singapore.

These paths, marked with the words “pedestrians only”, are meant for pedestrians and users of personal mobility aids, such as electric wheelchairs.

Cycling paths are painted red.

The demarcation of paths for pedestrians and cyclists “provides more certainty” for users and allows them to better anticipate each other’s movements, Mr Baey said.

“I understand cyclists are concerned about this change, and are worried about being targeted and fined,” he said.

He assured them that the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) active mobility enforcement officers (AMEOs) would “consider the ground situation”.

For example, a cyclist who has to momentarily ride on a pedestrian-only path to avoid an obstacle or to safely overtake slower-moving path users will not be penalised.

“But beyond rules, we need to cultivate a culture of gracious path sharing and protect the safety of the most vulnerable, especially with our ageing population,” Mr Baey said.

Bicycles and non-motorised PMDs remain permitted on shared footpaths.

More than 200km of footpaths next to cycling lanes

have been turned into pedestrian-only paths

 since LTA announced the initiative in August 2024.

First-time offenders convicted of riding on a pedestrian-only path can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three months, or both.

Pedestrians who stray into cycling paths will not face these penalties, though they should keep to the pedestrian-only path for their own safety, LTA said.

Speaking to reporters on July 1, Mr Baey said that while the AMEOs will give people the “benefit of the doubt”, they cannot be too lenient.

“Otherwise, the law has no teeth,” he added, saying that a signal must be sent to those who repeatedly flout the rules.

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