Is Singapore on the right path with tighter rules for e-scooters and hoverboards?
- The Lion City says it will tighten rules for personal mobility devices (PMDs) following public outcries over pedestrian safety and fire safety
- The senior minister for transport says a complete ban is out of the question, but reaction to the stricter laws from retailers and users has been mixed
Still, the Lion City said a complete ban of PMDs was out of the question because so many residents had come to rely on the devices for their daily commutes.
Among the stricter rules is a stipulation that all PMDs must comply with the “UL2272 standard” – involving tests on electrical and mechanical components – by July 2020, instead of the previous deadline of January 2021.
Retailers of the devices, of which there are more than 90,000 in the compact island nation, told This Week in Asia there might be some discontent from PMD users who bought their devices before the enactment of the new rules.
Lam Pin Min, Singapore’s senior minister of state for transport, said the government had already taken into consideration the interests of existing PMD users.