Amy Khor Lean Suan
Singapore
“Sir, NEA does conduct inspections of these premises from time to time. For this particular premises, they actually did six inspections since 2021.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts enforcement actions against drivers who are found to have provided illegal car-pooling services. An individual who provides an illegal car-pooling service may face a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.”
“We will also provide the first 500 private heavy vehicle chargers co-funding of up to 50% of the charger installation cost, capped at $30,000 per charger. These measures will narrow the lifecycle cost gap between an electric and internal combustion engine heavy vehicle and spur adoption of electric heavy vehicles.”
“With regard to the extension of the lower speed limit to school zones for full day, we will work with the relevant agencies on the enhanced enforcements.”
“They will provide a certain amount of protection to the pedestrians because, as I have said, the bollards will absorb the impact of the collision from the vehicles. So, there is a protection. But ultimately, of course, road safety really depends on a multitude of factors, including road user behaviour.”
“The bollards installed at pedestrian crossings by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are not of the K4, K8 or K12 standards stated by the Member. Bollards of these standards are typically security bollards. They are installed to protect critical infrastructure or at high security areas, such as Changi Airport, to be unyielding.”
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“When these new standards take effect from 1 September this year, some vehicles might no longer be able to function as ambulances and, hence, will no longer qualify for tax exemption. We are amending the RTA today, as shown in clauses 6 to 8 of the Bill, to facilitate and clarify LTA’s existing practices and to streamline the existing legislative provisions related to tax re-imposition. At the same time, we will amend the RTA, via clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill, to facilitate the recovery of undercharged or under-declared taxes as fines, similar to the existing provision for the Government to recover road tax arrears. Third, the Bill will make changes that help ensure our public transport system remains safe and secure. Clauses 24 and 31 of the Bill empower the Police and authorised officers to carry out security searches on persons on the public transport system. The terrorist threat to Singapore remains serious. Considering that the public transport system plays a critical role in Singapore, we need to remain vigilant and safeguard it against such threats. Members asked for the authorised officers to be appropriately trained to ensure security searches are conducted professionally, as well as in a discreet and polite manner without entrenching stereotypes. These security searches are conducted similar to those carried out at major events, such as at the National Day Parade. I would like to assure Members that authorised officers carrying out security searches would have to undergo proper training and must complete the necessary Security Workforce Skills Qualifications or WSQ courses approved by the Singapore Police Force before their deployment.”
“While there are potential benefits, Ms Poh Li San has also rightly pointed out that AV technology can be disruptive. We will pace the transition carefully so that livelihoods will not be severely disrupted. In 2019, to demonstrate our commitment to upskill our public bus captains, LTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with industry stakeholders, including the public transport operators and the National Transport Workers’ Union. This will ensure that public bus captains are equipped with the necessary skills for new job roles, to continue contributing to the public transport system even when autonomous buses are introduced into the public transport fleet. For taxi and private hire car drivers, LTA will be updating the vocational licence training curriculum after engaging the industry. The new curriculum will keep drivers up to date on new technologies, such as AVs and digitalisation, in the future economy. LTA will be seeking feedback from the industry, as well as the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles’ Association, before finalising the new curriculum. Second, the Bill will update and future-proof our vehicular tax system, which is a key part of our vehicular controls and management. All vehicles used or kept in Singapore are subject to taxes upon registration. But there are exceptions. For instance, ambulances and fire engines are exempted as they provide essential public services. However, when these vehicles are no longer on a tax-exempt scheme, it is only fair to all other vehicle owners and drivers that taxes are re-imposed on these vehicles. MOH has announced enhanced regulatory standards for private ambulances and medical transporters.”
“Mr Saktiandi Supaat will be pleased to know that there are milestone tests in place today, administered in a specially-designed facility – the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of AVs at NTU, or CETRAN. All AVs must undergo and pass these tests prior to on-road trials. All AVs must also have a qualified safety driver onboard who can take immediate control of the vehicle during trials, should the need arise. These safety drivers are subject to the same responsibility as drivers of manned vehicles in ensuring the safe driving of the vehicle. The requirement for safety drivers will remain in place until AVs are able to operate safely without a human driver. We agree with Ms Poh Li San’s observation that the liability and insurance framework for AVs is just as important as the underlying technology. This is why all AV developers, as owners of the AVs, are legally required to purchase third-party liability insurance for all AV trials. In the event of an accident, the insurance will cover any losses or damages that the owner and any authorised safety driver may suffer, as a result of any injury, death and property damage caused to any third party. This is not much different from the motor insurance coverage for manned vehicles. All AVs must also carry data recorders to collect data to support investigations in case of incidents. But as we move towards fully autonomous transport in the longer term, MOT and LTA will need to adapt and review the liability framework for motor vehicles. Among other things, we are working with legal experts and insurers to better understand how to ascertain and assign liability in the case of accidents involving autonomous driving systems, as suggested by Ms Poh Li San.”
“The AV sandbox is meant to cover the trial and use of vehicles equipped with autonomous systems that enable the operation of vehicles without active physical control or monitoring by a human on public roads. Mr Melvin Yong asked about the use of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). ADAS technology requires active monitoring by human drivers and, therefore, does not fall within the realm of AV technology. Before approving any motor vehicle for registration and use on public roads, including those fitted with ADAS, LTA checks to ensure the vehicle model’s compliance with stringent safety standards, such as those set out by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Vehicle Construction and Use Rules under the RTA. As ADAS technology grows more advanced, we agree with Mr Melvin Yong’s observation that it may carry new risks. We are monitoring global developments closely and will consider further regulation if necessary. Besides the sandbox, another move LTA made to support AV trials was to expand the AV testbed in 2019 to include 1,000 kilometres of public roads in western Singapore, covering a wide range of traffic scenarios and road conditions. This has served the needs of AV developers interested to deploy AVs in Singapore. However, there are developers who may be considering other environments for their trials beyond western Singapore, as suggested by Ms Poh Li San, and LTA is open to such considerations when assessing their trial applications on a case-by-case basis. In trialling AVs, public safety is our top priority. This is why LTA has put in place stringent safety assessments.”
“Mr Speaker, this Bill introduces amendments that will make our land transport system more future-ready and resilient. I thank the Members for their queries, suggestions and support for the Bill and will address them in turn. First, the Bill makes changes to the Road Traffic Act (RTA) to update our regulatory framework to facilitate trials of AVs. Specifically, clause 3 of the Bill extends the sandbox that permits the AV trials from 2022 to 2027. I am glad that many Members spoke up in support of this extension. Singapore has been facilitating AV trials on public roads since 2015. Today, a growing eco-system of leading AV firms from China, Europe and the USA, such as Motional, Continental and Desay, have been conducting research and development (R&D) trials here. Local AV enterprises, such as ST Engineering Autonomous Solutions, have deployed on-demand commercial AV services. However, fully autonomous transport remains a long-term aspiration, requiring more R&D. Therefore, extending the sandbox by five years until August 2027 will allow these companies to continue to develop and trial AV technology for local deployment. The sandbox will also support the large-scale pilot deployment of autonomous buses and shuttles that Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Melvin Yong asked about. As previously announced, this will take place in Punggol, Tengah and the Jurong Innovation District, under the Call-for-Collaboration launched by LTA. This large-scale deployment will help us better understand the requirements for mass deployment, such as whether infrastructure upgrades are needed. LTA will provide further updates in the lead up to deployment in the mid-2020s.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. As I have noted, charging for disposable carrier bags in supermarkets is not a silver bullet. We need to do this on multiple fronts. Actually, NEA has supported, say, Zero Waste SG, for instance, in their initiative to reach out to F&B and other retailers to incentivise people to bring their own reusable containers and bags. This is one way to also shift mindsets and behavioural change. But I think we need to approach this from multiple fronts and we have seen other countries implementing disposable carrier bag charge as well as some of our retailers with positive response; and so we are actually working on this front now.”
“There was an SEC study in 2018, regarding the number of plastic bags that is taken out from the supermarkets; most people frequent supermarkets. I think in 2018, it was about 820 million, which is about 146 bags per person per year.”
“We will only be looking into requiring a disposable bag charge in supermarkets to start with because we need to, first of all, develop a model that is workable and then, to look into the impact and any unintended consequences before we consider if this could be expanded further. In fact, in jurisdictions like Hong Kong and Taiwan, they do take a phased approach too.”
“We will take into account our local context, such as the current practice of reusing disposable carrier bags to bag rubbish for disposal. We will also look into any possible impact of a charge, especially on the more vulnerable groups such as low-income households, and will consult MSF and social service agencies on the possible mitigation measures to address the impact. We will also consult supermarket operators on other details, such as how the charge could apply to home deliveries and training supermarket employees, including those who pack groceries for deliveries, to minimise packaging use. We aim to complete our consultations by the end of the year. Plastic waste generated in Singapore is either recycled or sent to our waste-to-energy plants for incineration and not landfilled directly. As the environmental benefits of using biodegradable plastic bags do not apply in Singapore, we have no plans to encourage their use over conventional plastic bags. Every type of packaging material results in different environmental impacts such as carbon emissions and water consumption. Rather than substituting plastic disposables with disposables made of other materials such as biodegradable plastics, the more sustainable approach is to reduce the excessive use of disposables altogether. The disposable carrier bag charge is intended to discourage the excessive use of disposable bags and to promote the use of reusables. However, this measure alone is not a silver bullet. We must address this issue on multiple fronts, from enhancing public education and awareness, to behavioural nudges, to working with producers and retailers to use less packaging upstream. All of us must play our part to catalyse a mindset and behavioural shift towards a greener and zero-waste Singapore.”
“Thank you. In 2020, about 200,000 tonnes of disposables such as carrier bags and takeaway containers were thrown away in Singapore, sufficient to fill 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Excessive consumption of disposables is unsustainable and can be avoided if all stakeholders work together to change mindsets, habits and behaviour. Implementing a charge for single-use carrier bags at supermarkets is one of the recommendations submitted by the Citizens' Workgroup on Reducing the Excessive Consumption of Disposables to change social behaviour. Many jurisdictions overseas have already implemented disposable carrier bag charges with positive results. For example, bag charges in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and the Netherlands have reduced consumption of disposable bags by about 60% to 90%. A disposable carrier bag charge is not new to Singapore. As part of the Plastic ACTion business initiative started by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, retailers such as Uniqlo, Watsons, H&M and The Body Shop have committed to a bag charge and collectively achieved over 60% reduction in single-use bags. NTUC FairPrice has also piloted bag charges and received positive response. Last year, their year-long "No Plastic Bag" initiative at 25 supermarkets and convenience stores resulted in more than 15 million plastic bags saved. In developing an appropriate model for a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will study overseas examples and consult key stakeholders and members of the public. For example, the amount to be charged; whether the charge will apply per transaction, or per bag from the first or third bag; implementation timeline; and how the charge proceeds will be used.”
“I thank the Member for his question and for highlighting the fact that we need to continue to step up our outreach and engagement to the companies as well as to the drivers. TP, for instance, actually have regular safety talks to the drivers to raise road safety awareness as well as to adopt safe driving habits and we will need to continue to work together – LTA, together with TP and MOM – to reach out, step up public education, sustain public education and to remind them to comply. For instance, for the companies to comply with the rules and the safety rules and requirements that have already been put in place for workers' safety and to remind drivers of their obligations and responsibilities when ferrying workers.”
“I thank the Member for her two supplementary questions. Indeed, as I have noted, when we did the last study there was strong feedback from the industry regarding the significant business costs. But, actually, in addition to that, I also mentioned that this, really, is not just about costs, it goes beyond costs. Because on the ground, there are significant real practical and operational challenges on top of just cost considerations. But having said that, if we were to estimate the additional costs as a result of prohibiting the transport of workers in lorries and goods vehicles, then we will need to have an understanding of the options that the industry will pivot to, whether it is buses, minivans, goods-cum-passenger vehicles or even other options. And we will need to, really, undertake the detailed study and consultation with the industry. So, it is something that we can consider as part of the review. With regard to international practices, as I have also said in my reply, international practices are varied. Indeed, some of these countries that do allow, we think that our challenges are not unique and they probably have similar challenges. But I agree that even as we undertake a review, we will consult the stakeholders and industries and we will also look at various practices as well as technologies like the Member Mr Alex Yam said earlier.”
“This is already well below the speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour on the expressway. So further reducing this speed is not recommended by the experts because when you increase the speed differential between the lorries and all the other motor vehicles on the expressway, it can lead to other safety issues. For instance, the increased tendency for overtaking manoeuvres which can increase the risk of accidents. With regard to the study that the Member talked about, it is a Swedish study, which talks about the impact of the vehicle on passengers if an accident were to occur and that it would be less likely to cause serious and fatal injuries, if vehicles were travelling at a speed of below 40 kilometres per hour. So, that is really about the impact on the passengers. But here, we also need to consider the increased potential of the risk of accident in the first instance if we were to increase the speed differential. But having said that, as I have said, in the review that we are undertaking, we will consider all views and suggestions. As what the Member said, there may be other areas that we can look into. With regard to tying down equipment, actually under the Act as well as guidelines issued by the Workplace Safety and Health Council, the employers are already required to safely tie down the equipment or goods, or load the equipment or goods safely, so that these will not be a danger to the passengers. That is already a requirement. In fact, there are actually guidelines about loading the goods safely. If, in fact, the lorries have goods or equipment, then the deck space allowable for ferrying the workers would be correspondingly reduced. I think I have covered the Member's queries.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. Let me reiterate again that passengers' safety is very important, we agree with that. As I have said earlier, every fatality and every injury is one too many. We do want to continue to strive to enhance and preserve the safety of our workers when they are using the roads or when they are being ferried. But as I have also noted in my answer earlier, this is a multifaceted issue with many ramifications. Indeed, even as we consider all these issues, we need to be also mindful that we need to find a balance and calibrated approach in order to preserve the safety of our workers as well as their livelihoods. With regard to the further questions on the various measures that could be taken, firstly, about re-convening the workgroup, as I have said, we have been monitoring the situation since the last review, as well as refining the measures. In 2015, they actually introduced the requirement of not just getting the foreign workers to take a basic theory test but also to pass our Class 3 driving licence if they want to drive the Class 3 vehicles. And we are currently undertaking a review of the measures with the view of looking at how we can enhance these measures further, in order to improve safety for workers. We will need some time to engage the various stakeholders and we will take into account all the suggestions and proposals put forth. We look forward to working with the tripartite partners, the industry and unions on this to find the way forward; a sensible and sustainable way forward. Regarding speed limits, presently, such light goods vehicles already have a speed limit of either 60 kilometres per hour or the posted vehicle speed for that area, whichever is lower.”
“We will continue to review the safety rules, engaging the various stakeholders along the way, to see how to enhance these measures further. Meanwhile, I urge all employers to do their part to ensure the welfare and safety of their staff. Members of the public can also call LTA's hotline to report any non-compliance with safety regulations.”
“For example, the Workgroup found that retrofitting seat belts in the rear decks of lorries could result in other safety risks. This is because commercially available lorries are not designed for seatbelts to be installed in the rear deck and the floorboards in the rear deck might not be sufficiently strong to keep the seatbelts anchored in the event of an accident. Compared to 10 years ago, regulatory changes at this time will cause even more acute pain to the industry, given that the industry is being severely affected by COVID-19. Worker supply has been disrupted leading to severe manpower shortages. Projects are already delayed and productivity has been affected because of safe management measures. Further regulations will likely have impact on the completion of various building projects, from BTOs to MRTs to nursing homes and hospitals, spell the demise of some companies and the loss of workers' livelihoods. We cannot simply ignore these considerations. Notwithstanding the improvements made over the years, one fatality and, in fact, one injury, is still one too many. We appeal to all road users to drive safely and responsibly. The Government will continue to conduct public education so that lorry drivers and owners are reminded of the rules. LTA has also been stepping up enforcement to catch errant owners and drivers. The Government will continue to refine our policies and regulations to further minimise such situations involving our workers. We have brought down the accident rates of lorries over the years and will continue to strive to do so. We note the concerns regarding this issue and understandably so. But this is an issue with multifaceted considerations and wider ramifications, including on workers' livelihoods.”
“Since then, we have continued to review and refine our regulations. For example, since 2015, all S Pass and Work Permit Holders are required to pass the necessary theory and practical driving tests before they can obtain a Singapore Class 3 licence that will allow them to drive light goods vehicles, including those which transport workers in the rear decks. Over the last decade, the number of persons on-board lorries who were injured or killed in road traffic accidents has been on a downward trend. In 2019, the injury rate of persons on-board lorries is about 8.1 per 1,000 lorries, which is lower than the injury rate of persons on-board all motor vehicles at 8.4 per 1,000 motor vehicles. In 2020, traffic volumes were lower due to COVID-19 restrictions, and the injury rate of persons on-board lorries was about 4.5 per 1,000 lorries, compared to 5.6 persons on-board all motor vehicles per 1,000 motor vehicles. For this year up to March, the injury rate of persons on-board lorries is about 1.5 per 1,000 lorries, comparable with that for persons on-board all motor vehicles. Data for the full month of April 2021 is not yet available. The number of persons on-board lorries who were killed in road traffic accidents has also been on a downward trend. From 2011 to 2015, an average of nine persons on-board per year were killed in road traffic accidents. This dropped to 2.6 per year from 2016 to 2020, or 2.5 if we exclude 2020. That said, declining injuries and fatalities from such accidents should not make us complacent. One life lost is still one too many. Back in 2008, the Workgroup had thoroughly considered how to prevent this and many of the suggestions raised by the Members today were previously studied by the Workgroup.”
“As far back as 2008, a Workgroup co-chaired by MOM and LTA conducted a thorough review of the safety of workers being transported on lorries. The Workgroup included members from industry associations, the National Safety Council of Singapore, TP and other Government agencies. Over more than a year, the Workgroup studied the issue extensively and consulted widely, including industry groups, safety experts and transport operators. At that time, companies – especially small and medium enterprises in the construction industry – had strongly urged the Government to allow them to continue ferrying their workers in lorries. The industry associations also provided strong feedback that switching to dedicated bus transport would lead to significantly higher business costs. Other practical challenges were also highlighted. For instance, while lorries can have dual use for transporting workers and equipment, buses cannot and this will result in significant productivity loss. Other proposals such as using vans with smaller capacities or lowering the cap on deck capacity were also considered, but there were concerns about driver fatigue and therefore, safety, as more trips would have to be made to ferry workers from one site to another. The Workgroup studied the various feedback carefully and laid out a set of recommendations to preserve workers' safety and livelihoods. As a result, the Government implemented enhanced safety measures for lorries ferrying passengers in 2009 and 2010. These include fitting higher protective side railings and canopy covers, and higher penalties for non-compliance – up to five times more. The Workgroup's recommendations aimed to protect not only the workers' safety, but also their livelihoods, which was a difficult challenge.”
“Last month, there were two unfortunate accidents involving lorries that were transporting workers. The first occurred when the lorry ferrying 17 workers collided into a stationary truck along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and resulted in two fatalities. The lorry driver has been arrested for careless driving causing death. The second incident involved a lorry ferrying nine workers but fortunately, there were no fatalities. Three days ago, there was an accident between a Police van and a lorry ferrying 11 workers. Seventeen people, including five Police officers, were conveyed to the hospital with minor injuries. We are deeply saddened by the accidents and would like to offer our deepest condolences to the affected families. The accidents are currently being investigated by the Traffic Police (TP). The party or parties found responsible will be dealt with based on our laws. Members have raised concerns on the use of lorries to ferry workers. Internationally, practices are varied. Countries such as Canada, Thailand and the United States of America allow for passengers to be ferried in the rear deck of goods vehicles travelling on roads, albeit with safety precautions and some restrictions. From a road safety perspective, it will be ideal for lorries not to carry any passengers in their rear decks. But there are very significant practical and operational issues – on top of just cost considerations – which is probably why internationally, it is not an uncommon practice. I want to assure Members that we take seriously the safety and well-being of all workers, including our foreign workers, without whose contributions, Singapore would not be what it is today.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 32 to 36 together, as well as Dr Wan Rizal's Parliamentary Question1 scheduled for a subsequent sitting?”
“Actually, I did say in my speech that we will especially focus on those towns where there are no cycling paths. So, if the Member is keen on this, let us look at it.”
“The Member is right. I did say that by the end of this year we would have added 28 km of cycling paths. Those are the completed cycling paths that we will be adding on. The target is to have about 1,300 km of cycling path by 2030, about 10 years away. We now have about 460 km. So, if you divide it, that is the pace. But having said that, even now, we have identified 60 road repurposing projects. Many of these, you can look into not just pedestrianising, adding footpaths, but perhaps widening it for cycling paths. Whether if these can come aboard really depends on the support from the local community. When we do road repurposing projects, we have to work very closely with the local community to see if this is something they would support. When you do this, there will be some trade-offs. For instance, the benefits may take time to come, but the immediate impact is on motorists. They will probably have to divert the roads if we pedestrianise or we widen the cycling paths. They may have to park somewhere else, for instance, if we include the cycling paths. So, we have to look at how to minimise the inconvenience and at the same time, look at how we can bring benefits to the community and look at how to mitigate some of the trade-offs.”
“This is a mature estate, and we have heard residents and grassroots volunteers share their desire to make the road more walkable. Local business proprietors have also said that they would welcome wider footpaths, so that customers can browse more comfortably in front of their shops. We are studying widening the footpath by paving over some roadside parking lots, thereby creating a more pleasant walking experience for pedestrians. We will implement this with water-filled barriers temporarily for several months and then take in community feedback for further refinements, before permanently widening the footpath. Aside from walkability, we will also start to convert stretches of roads into cycling paths, beginning in locations such as Ang Mo Kio Street 22, to expand our network of cycling paths. Chairman, 2020 was a difficult year for the land transport sector. And pardon the pun, the road ahead remains challenging. But we will step up our efforts to transform our land transport system to become more inclusive and sustainable. We will also partner the community to build a landscape of roads and paths that meets Singaporeans’ aspirations for a liveable and sustainable home. This will enable us to walk, cycle and ride safely and comfortably while we look to soar in the skies again!”
“Over the years, we have worked with arts and civic groups and premise owners to realise their aspirations for greater walkability within the Civic District. We have pedestrianised one side of Anderson Bridge and part of St Andrew’s Road, and restricted vehicle access to stretches of Parliament Place, Old Parliament Lane and Connaught Drive. With this, pedestrians can walk seamlessly from Old Parliament House to Esplanade Park. More can be done. Many Singaporeans have expressed a desire for more extensive pedestrianisation of the Civic District. Mr Mok Wei Wei, the architect for the upgrading of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, suggested fully pedestrianising Anderson Bridge as a gateway to the District. This would offer unblocked and panoramic views of the District’s architecture. We will consider his suggestion alongside others from visitors, arts and civic groups and premise owners, as we work towards our vision of a more pedestrian-friendly Civic District. Looking beyond the Civic District, we will also work with the community to gradually reshape the streetscape in areas such as Sembawang, Bishan,Toa Payoh, Tanjong Pagar and Jalan Besar. We will start with a stretch of Havelock Road. With your permission, Chairman, may I display some slides on the LCD screens.”
“By the end of this year, we will have added 28 km of cycling paths, in Bukit Panjang, Sembawang, Taman Jurong and Yishun, as well mature estates such as Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Tampines, Toa Payoh. We will also prioritise construction for towns that do not have cycling paths. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey will elaborate on how we will develop a culture of gracious usage on paths to complement these efforts. We will also have transit priority corridors, to enhance the travel experience by public transport. The North-South Corridor (NSC) is one such example. When completed, it will shave up to 20 minutes for bus commuters travelling from the North to the CBD with its dedicated and continuous bus lanes. The NSC will also serve as a green thoroughfare from the North into the city centre with its cycling trunk routes and pedestrian paths. Chairman, going forward, as Ms Yeo and Mr Lim have suggested, we will work closely with the community to develop AM infrastructure. We will repurpose suitable stretches of road into footpaths, cycling paths or bus lanes, and incorporate features that contribute to place making. LTA has identified some 60 possible projects to be implemented and have commenced engagement for five projects. We will seek views from residents, grassroots volunteers, Town Councils, and local businesses, to identify potential enhancements. These views will shape key project details, such as the length of the stretch being repurposed, or when permanent infrastructure enhancement works will commence or even if the project should proceed at all. We will start with projects to enhance walkability, starting with areas such as the Civic District as Mr Cheng Hsing Yao has highlighted to benefit the widest spectrum of users.”
“A new conversion course will also be introduced to allow drivers to convert their PDVLs to TDVLs to expand the driving options for vocational drivers. LTA will announce more details at a later date. Beyond workforce transformation, we can also emerge stronger by building a more sustainable and inclusive transport system under the Singapore Green Plan 2030. We will encourage more people to switch from private vehicles to Walk, Cycle and Ride (WCR) modes. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Singaporeans have embraced cycling and walking. I would like to assure Ms Yeo that we are harnessing this momentum to enhance the safety and ease of using WCR modes. First, on active mobility (AM) regulations. Over a year has passed since we banned the use of e-scooters on footpaths. I am pleased to inform Ms Yeo that footpath safety has improved considerably, with accidents involving motorised PMDs on footpaths falling by 79% between 2019 and 2020 to 30 cases. To further enhance safety, we will be rolling out a new import controls regime for personal mobility devices and power-assisted bicycles in the first half of 2021. This is an important measure to prevent the import of non-compliant devices. Meanwhile, we will continue with regular inspections of AM devices to deter illegal modifications. Second, on WCR infrastructure. Mr Lim Biow Chuan will be glad to know that we are pressing on with our plans to expand cycling paths from 460 km to 1,300 km by 2030. This will allow more cycling journeys to be completed entirely on the cycling path network, although cyclists may still have to dismount and push at certain locations, such as overhead bridges, for safety reasons.”
“The strong tripartite partnerships that have helped us weather the COVID-19 pandemic will also be critical to support the transformation of our workforce to meet longer term needs. Before COVID-19, we were already looking into trends such as digitalisation and new vehicular technologies. These present many challenges but also create exciting opportunities. As Mr Melvin Yong pointed out, the electrification of the land transport system will create many jobs and opportunities for upskilling. New competencies are required to maintain EVs and charging infrastructure. In December 2020, the Government supported the establishment of the Singapore Motor Workshop Association’s training facility to impart EV-related competencies. We will continue to work closely with companies, training providers and unions, to identify ways to support young graduates and existing workers to acquire such competencies. Ms Yeo also asked how we are helping taxi and PHC drivers cope with longer term technology developments, such as digitalisation. LTA is engaging the industry on an updated training curriculum for the Taxi Driver’s and the PHC Driver’s Vocational Licences, which will place greater emphasis on key competencies to help drivers cope with digitalisation, such as mapping and navigational tools. The new curriculum will also allow drivers to be kept up-to-date with new vehicular technology, such as electric and autonomous vehicles. LTA will also support greater use of technology to train taxi and PHC drivers, by facilitating training centres to offer online TDVL refresher courses so that the drivers can attend the courses at their convenience.”
“In view of the fluid circumstances, we will continue to monitor the situation closely to assess if further support is necessary. Mr Ang shared his concerns about young drivers in the taxi and PHC sector and asked if the Government will consider capping the number of PHCs. Firstly, Mr Ang may recall that we raised the minimum age for new Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence (PDVL) applicants to at least 30 years old last year, to align with the Taxi Driver’s Vocational Licence (TDVL). Secondly, Singaporeans below the age of 40 with tertiary education make up less than 10% of all TDVL and PDVL holders. From this group, those below 30 years old make up about 3% of all TDVL and PDVL holders, and they have been grandfathered. Finally, we have no plans to cap the number of PHCs, as the sector is already sensitive to market conditions. For example, we observed a 12% drop in the number of registered PHCs since the start of the pandemic. For drivers who exit the taxi and PHC sectors amidst the pandemic, we appreciate the Labour Movement’s assistance in helping them to upskill and look for alternative jobs. Last but not least, we have also partnered NTA, NPHVA and the taxi and PHC operators to commence vaccinations for taxi and PHC drivers last week. This forms part of our efforts to offer vaccinations to our frontline land transport workers and strengthen the resilience of our essential services. Since last week, MOH has issued SMS notifications to all of the more than 50,000 active taxi and PHC drivers. More than 50% of those invited have booked their vaccination appointments. We will work with the associations and operators to encourage more drivers to get vaccinated.”
“My speech will touch on how the land transport sector is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. I will share how we are future-proofing our land transport workers. Then, I will explain how we will partner the community to repurpose stretches of roads for footpaths and cycling paths to enhance connectivity. Let me first touch on COVID-19's impact on the land transport sector. As the COVID-19 situation evolved, we had to implement additional safe management measures while ensuring that our transport operations continued to run smoothly. Our land transport workers made this possible. On behalf of MOT, I applaud them for their courage, dedication and resilience. We are also grateful for the strong support by the unions, associations and transport operators. A good example is that of the taxi and private hire car (PHC) sector. Right at the start of the pandemic, the Government worked closely with the National Taxi Association (NTA), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and the taxi and PHC operators to introduce the Special Relief Fund (SRF), which provided much needed support to our taxi and PHC drivers amidst a significant decline in ridership. As of February 2021, the Government has disbursed more than $155 million in relief payouts to over 50,000 drivers through the SRF and the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund (CDRF). Additionally, the Government has disbursed more than $500 million to over 57,000 drivers under the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS). 1.30 pm I would like to assure Mr Ang Wei Neng and Ms Yeo Wan Ling that we will continue to support our taxi and PHC drivers. In fact, we have committed $116 million towards CDRF payouts between March and June 2021.”
“Recently, we announced the Hawker Succession Programme that is actually for veteran hawkers who want to retire and we do not have anyone to take over the stalls and they do not mind passing on their culinary skills and recipes to a new breed of hawkers. We are starting this. We have 70 veteran hawkers who are actually mentoring our new breed of hawkers. I think the fact that hawker culture is the pride of everyone in Singapore, there is great hope that we will be able to sustain it together.”
“Let me maybe share with Members that the vacancy rate for hawker centres managed by NEA is actually very low. It is about 2%. And every month, when we tender, there will always be bidders for these stalls. Through our various programmes to attract a new generation of hawkers to run the hawker stalls, we also actually have many applicants. In fact, for our Hawker Development Programme (HDP) that we recently initiated, 200 have actually gone through the training programme, 66 have completed the apprenticeship, 46 are now looking for stalls to start their incubation stall phase. Indeed, even as we have built seven new hawker centres, 13 are coming up, 10 are actually in design and construction, one is in the planning stage, the other two we have not announced the details. We also have many requests from actually many Members of this House for a hawker centre. So, as I have said, the Member is not correct to say that hawker centres are declining in popularity. With regard to the food, recently, we had our hawker culture listed in the UNESCO Representative List and we need to sustain, and we want to sustain, the hawker trade as well as safeguard our hawker culture. To do this, we also need to ensure that the food served, as well as the environment of the hawker centre, evolves according to the needs of Singaporeans. Increasingly, all kinds of food will be served cosmopolitan because we are a cosmopolitan, multicultural, multiracial country. So, I do not think we need to be too concerned about this. What we need to do is ensure that our hawker centres continue to provide affordable delicious food in a clean environment. With regard to heritage food, we also have programmes.”
“Mr Chairman, in conclusion, the past year has focused our attention on the importance of sustaining a liveable and endearing home, cleanliness and hygiene as our first line of defence and safeguarding our hawker culture. My Ministry will continue to work hard on these fronts. But to succeed, we need everyone's support.”
“We will enhance the use of technology and support digitalisation efforts, including sensors for crowd monitoring and to facilitate maintenance. We will progressively implement the HTP at the new hawker centres, and centres which undergo redevelopment. We will also conduct engagements with stakeholders at a few existing hawker centres to co-create feasible solutions, to address infrastructure gaps based on lessons learnt from COVID-19. (In English): Mr Gan asked about our new hawker centres. Construction of Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre and Fernvale Hawker Centre and Market was delayed by COVID-19. However, we have made good progress since and they are estimated to open in 4Q 2021. Senja Hawker Centre is also scheduled to open early next year. To Mr Gan and Miss Ong's question, we will appoint socially-conscious enterprises to manage all new hawker centres. The SEHC model has allowed hawkers in these centres to better compete in a tough F&B landscape. SEHC operators curate the food options and organise events to attract more footfall. We will continue to work closely with hawkers, operators and other stakeholders to refine the model. As is our MSE tradition, I have arranged to serve Skirt & Dirt's sliders and Kueh Ho Jiak's kueh. Min jiang kueh from Munchi Delights and epok-epok from Kalsom Kuih Muih Curry Puff, both at Yishun Park Hawker Centre, are also back by popular demand. Also, in the same tradition, let me also share a zero-waste tip with Members. Today, I am wearing a necklace fashioned from old t-shirts, turning it into NewCloth, just like NEWater, NewSand and NewOil and NewFeet!”
“For example, aisles and tables will be better spaced to minimise crowding. We will create a more conducive environment for patrons, hawkers and cleaners. We will also enhance the use of technology and support digitalisation efforts. For example, we will work towards deploying sensors for crowd monitoring and to facilitate maintenance. Sustainability will also be a priority, as part of our effort to bring sustainability to the community under GreenGov.SG. The new Senja Hawker Centre will have features like food waste digestion, rainwater harvesting and solar panels. We will progressively implement the HTP at new hawker centres and centres which undergo redevelopment. We will also conduct engagements with stakeholders at a few existing hawker centres to co-create centre-level solutions for these centres, to address infrastructure gaps based on COVID-19 lessons. We hope to learn from these "test" centres and continue to refine the HTP. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our hawker centres are an important component of our hawker culture. During the recent SG HawkerFest, we received many suggestions on the infrastructure and features that the public hoped to see in hawker centres of the future. Building on these suggestions, we will develop a Hawker Centres Transformation Programme (HTP) over the next few years. The HTP will incorporate lessons from COVID-19 and sustain our thriving hawker culture from generation to generation. The HTP will focus on ensuring a clean and safe environment at our hawker centres and enhancing them as community dining rooms. For example, aisles and tables will be better spaced to minimise crowding.”
“Our Hawkers Development Programme and Incubation Stall Programme offer aspiring hawkers subsidised skills training, training allowances, rental subsidies and a fitted-out stall, including at hawker centres run by socially-conscious enterprises or SEHCs, to let them test their mettle at lower start-up costs. They can also bid for a stall through NEA's monthly tender exercise, where no minimum bids are required. As a result, the median rental of cooked food stalls in hawker centres today, including SEHCs, is much lower than the rentals in coffeeshops or food courts. This is part of our effort to keep operating costs low and reduce the barriers of entry for new hawkers. Coupled with the earlier-mentioned schemes, we hope this improves the viability of the trade to attract a new generation of hawkers. I will now speak on hawker centres, an important component of our hawker culture. Mr Leong said hawker centres have been declining in popularity. This is not true. An NEA survey found that close to 80% of Singaporeans patronise hawker centres at least once a week. Hence, it is opportune to consider how we can future-proof our hawker centres as Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin suggested. During the recent SG HawkerFest, more than 7,700 participants shared what infrastructure and features they hoped to see in future hawker centres. We received many suggestions, from improving ventilation, to providing live updates on crowd levels at hawker centres. Building on the suggestions gathered, we will develop a Hawker Centres Transformation Programme or HTP over the next few years with our stakeholders. The HTP will incorporate lessons from COVID-19 and sustain our hawker culture. The programme will focus on ensuring a clean and safe environment at hawker centres.”
“As Mr Gan highlighted, a critical factor in sustaining the trade is the transmission of culinary skills across generations. This scheme will also facilitate the transfer of hawker stalls and recipes, by matching veteran hawkers to aspiring successors. Mr Leong suggested that we focus on preserving hawker recipes. This scheme goes beyond that, to ensure that the recipes live on so that we can continue to savour the delicious food. We will convene an independent advisory panel, comprising members of the hawker community, to help engage potential veteran hawkers and assess the successors' readiness to take over. Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap asked about reviving the Hardship Scheme. As he noted, we discontinued this in 1990 as job opportunities had increased, even for the unskilled. The scheme also had limited effectiveness with low take-up rate, as most hardship cases preferred to wait for a vacant stall in more popular centres. Today, we have many schemes to help the needy upskill and find good jobs, while providing financial assistance and other support. More importantly, subsidising rentals alone will not guarantee success. Rentals are not the biggest cost for our hawkers. It is raw materials and manpower costs that make up about three-quarters of hawkers' operating costs, based on NEA's survey of our hawker centres. Sustaining a hawker stall requires entrepreneurship and passion, no different from any business. Nonetheless, we do want to support the needy who are genuinely passionate to enter the trade. We now have schemes which are open to all, including ex-offenders.”
“This is a proud moment for Singapore. I will speak on two areas – supporting hawkers and future-proofing hawker centres. Both are essential parts of our hawker culture. First, supporting our hawkers and sustaining the trade. There is no hawker culture without hawkers. Our hawkers average age is about 60 years old. We do need to act urgently, as Mr Leong Mun Wai said, to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy our hawker culture. Life as a hawker is not easy. I have spoken to many new hawkerpreneurs. Some do it for passion, some with ambition to eventually expand, and others to continue a family legacy. For example, Mr Fabian Tan of Skirt & Dirt at Tiong Bahru Market, a 32-year-old culinary school graduate and former senior sous chef, joined the hawker trade through NEA's Incubation Stall Programme. Fabian's goal is to eventually open his own café or restaurant. 2.30 pm To aspiring hawkers, we will continue to do what we can to help you start on a good footing. Last year, the Workgroup on Sustaining the Hawker Trade made recommendations which we accepted. Implementation is underway. First, we introduced the Hawkers Development Programme to equip aspiring hawkers with the skills to run a successful business. The programme comprises classroom training, apprenticeship with veteran hawkers and an incubation stage with mentorship support and training allowances. I thank the veteran hawkers who have stepped forward as mentors. One example is Workgroup member Ms Sandy Tan Puay Puay, who owns Kueh Ho Jiak at Blk 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza. Second, we enhanced the Incubation Stall Programme. In 2019, we extended the rental rebates to a total of 15 months. We are also increasing the number of incubation stalls. Third, we introduced the Hawkers Succession Scheme.”
“It is an uphill task to get individuals to clear their tables – old habits die hard – but it can be done. For example, at Bukit Merah Central Food Centre, the Hawkers' Association customised trays with educational messages, and worked with hawkers and table cleaners to encourage patrons to return trays. They have achieved an exemplary tray return rate of more than 70%. I urge other hawker centres to follow their lead. In the coming months, we will roll out the campaign at all hawker centres, coffeeshops and foodcourts. NEA will install around 75 tray return racks at hawker centres on top of the 900 today. At coffeeshops, 10% have tray return infrastructure and SFA will work with the remaining operators to implement localised solutions. NEA will monitor the campaign outcome and conduct another survey on public attitudes towards tray return. We will also consider if we need to move beyond education to some form of regulation, as some members of the public have suggested. I will now speak on sustaining hawker culture. Restrictions on dine-in during Circuit Breaker undoubtedly affected some hawkers, but they continued to work tirelessly to supply Singaporeans with affordable food. Many pivoted to food delivery services. To support our frontline hawker heroes, we provided five months of rental waivers and subsidies for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services. More than $50 million in waivers and subsidies was provided to over 13,000 hawkers. Over 1,300 hawkers have also taken up the $500 grant to adopt food delivery services. Under IMDA's Hawkers Go Digital Programme, over 5,000 hawkers received an e-payment bonus up to $1,500 each. Despite the challenges, 2020 ended on a bright note. Hawker Culture was successfully inscribed on the UNESCO List.”
“Two, we have extended the Productivity Solutions Grant until September 2021 to support companies to adopt automation. Three, the Progressive Wage Model will be extended to waste management workers. The Tripartite Cluster for Waste Management will develop job ladders, training requirements and wage benchmarks. We also have initiatives for the pest management sector, which Miss Rachel Ong spoke about. We are encouraging premises and pest management companies to jointly pilot customised digital solutions through the INCUBATE programme. For example, NEA and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) recently closed a joint grant call with INCUBATE partners to seek solutions for a digital platform that integrates cleaning, waste and pest data. We will also work with the sector to develop outcome-based contracting guidelines for pest management contracts, targeted to be ready by end 2021. We will grow the talent pool of pest management professionals. NEA is working with IHLs and the industry to revise Continuing Education & Training and Pre-Employment Training courses, such as the joint ITE-NEA certification courses for pest management. Lest Members have the wrong impression, pest management goes beyond catching rats, killing cockroaches and controlling the mosquito population! It takes serious science to deal with these pests and prevent their multiplication. The third prong in our strategy is to foster individual responsibility around public hygiene, as Mr Gan Thiam Poh mentioned. This involves behavioural change which is very challenging, but it is the only sustainable way forward. Recently, I launched the Clean Tables Campaign at hawker centres, coffeeshops and food courts. As Miss Rachel Ong asked, we are adopting new ways to spread the word.”
“Thank you. Since we launched the Environmental Services Industry transformation map or ESITM in 2017, the industry has made great strides to transform itself. For instance, 800 Super have secured better contracts locally and successfully ventured overseas. It achieved this to digitalisation and building capabilities, such as GPS fleet management systems. Now, he offers integrated environmental solutions and boast an integrated energy and resource recovery facility that powers industrial laundry services and animal feed processing. As suggested by Dr Lim Wee Kiak, we will support the industry to future-proof their businesses beyond COVID-19. I will highlight some key areas. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] One, we will move away from headcount-based contracts. The Government has taken the lead by requiring outcome-based contracting for our new cleaning contracts from May 2020. This ensures clear outcomes for service buyers and encourages cleaning companies to innovate and be more productive, which in turn creates better jobs and address manpower constraints. To date, more than 110 public and private sector organisations have adopted outcome-based contracting. NEA will roll out a refreshed outcome-based contracting guide for the cleaning industry this month, which will encourage better service delivery through technology adoption and process improvements. It includes an easier method to measure service outcomes and sample contract clauses to cater for contingencies such as COVID-19. Service buyers and cleaning companies can agree on deploying more resources to meet additional cleaning requirements, based on the prices that cleaning companies have quoted upfront. This offers flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.”
“That is why we mandated features, like toilet pedestals, with anti-stain technology and a VORTEX flushing system that says "WATER", in the same spirit as our Green Plan. Cleaners will also be helped to work more efficiently. Feedback systems will allow more targeted cleaning. Similarly, ammonia detection systems will send alerts when cleaning is needed. Mr Singh suggested to pilot the TIP at a hawker centre at a hawker centre with heavy footfall. In fact, the mandatory components of the TIP have already been tested at NEA-managed hawker centres. They were effective and practical. NEA has consulted and will continue to consult the Town Councils on the TIP. We will consider their suggestions including to extend the implementation timeline of the TIP. Mr Singh asked why we provide additional subsidies to hawker centres, which remove their smoking corners? Protecting patrons from second hand smoke and providing patrons with clean toilets are both important public health priorities. All new hawkers centres built after 2011 are smoke free. We have been encouraging the remaining 27 centres with smoking corners to remove them. A higher TIP co-funding amount can help to accelerate the shift second. Second, we will work with the Environmental Services Industry to transform the sector, which has experienced increased demand in the current pandemic. With your permission, Chairman, may I display the slides on the LCD screens?”
“First, working with premises. We will continue to promote the adoption of good hygiene practices with the "SG Clean" Quality Mark and waive certification costs this year. We will implement the Environmental Sanitation or ES regime, as planned. Under this, premises managers must meet new mandatory baseline ES standards and proactively clean their premises. For the initial phase, we target to cover more than 2,000 pre-schools, schools, youth and eldercare facilities, hawker centres and coffeeshops by end of Fiscal Year 2021. The ES Technical Committee has completed the technical guide which sets out the national baseline ES guidelines like daily cleaning frequencies for high-touch surfaces and toilets, and prescribed periodic cleaning for hard-to-reach areas. The guide can be customised to develop sector-specific ES standards, such as for eldercare facilities, which will be ready from mid-2021. Training of over 2,000 Environmental Control Coordinators (ECCs) appointed to assist premises managers in developing an ES programme, will start from this month. Eligible participants will receive up to about 90% in course fee subsidy. Clean public toilets are critical to public health. Even with mandatory baseline standards, ageing infrastructure at some hawker centres and coffeeshop toilets remains an impediment to maintaining cleanliness. This is why we introduced the Toilet Improvement Programme (TIP), which Mr Pritam Singh asked about. This is a one-off grant, where we co-fund hawker centres and coffeeshop operators to install better fittings and adopt productivity measures. Our priority is to make toilets easier to clean and maintain.”
“Mr Chairman, I will now talk about building a liveable and endearing home by safeguarding public health and sustaining hawker culture. I will start with public health. COVID-19 has underscored the importance of personal and public hygiene. Last year, we launched the SG Clean movement to urgently shore up our public health defences. Practices like hand washing have become the norm. Over 30,000 premises have achieved the "SG Clean" Quality Mark. We passed the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill to introduce mandatory baseline environmental sanitation standards. But the battle is far from over. Gastroenteritis incidents affected more than 1,200 persons in 2018 and 2019. Such cases persist. Satisfaction levels of public cleanliness at premises like markets, hawker centres and coffeeshops remain low. On average, only 30% of patrons return their trays. Birds, which are attracted by food remnants, continue to be a nuisance, with about 90 feedback cases on this every month. We need to do more. But it is not prudent to rely solely on scarce public resources, whether for cleaning, surveillance or enforcement. A lasting solution requires everyone to play their part. For example, on littering, which Mr Lim Biow Chuan raised, we have increased fines, deployed camera surveillance and reviewed the Corrective Work Order (CWO) regime. We can continue stepping up enforcement, including by sending every litterbug for CWO, but this is not sustainable for the long term. Instead, we will work with three main stakeholder groups to build and sustain a clean Singapore – with premises owners to uphold high public health standards; with the environmental services industry to transform the sector; and with individuals to engender greater social responsibility to keep Singapore clean.”
“At the end of the day, enforcement does act as a deterrent, but for a long-term sustainable solution, it must be that we want to encourage all Singapore residents to take collective responsibility, to encourage and influence each other to be civic-minded and to have positive social norms.”
“Let me explain. We are mindful of the feedback that we have gotten and indeed, we are aware of this. As I have said, we continue to look at developments in camera technology for more effective and better deployment. But in the mean time, to make it less conspicuous, we deploy the camera quite a distance away from the suspected units. We try to deploy at ground level where site conditions permit and, only in cases where this is not possible, do we look for an adjacent block to deploy the camera. We also need to consider other factors that will help us in apprehending the high-rise litter bugs. For instance, you need to deploy the camera over a sufficient surveillance duration, which is maybe, a few days; five days or even more. Therefore, you will require a battery pack. You will also need to make sure that the cameras are tamper-proof, not subjected to mischief, for instance. And to mount it securely, you need a camera pole. Actually, it is not just the size of the camera but the entire system, which comprises the camera plus the battery pack. There is also this trade-off between size and efficacy. You need cameras with wider optical range because you usually do not have good enough information to know exactly which floor and, in fact, even which stack. So, you need a wider optical range from which to increase the chance to apprehend the high-rise littering offenders. That is the reason why, if you look at it, it is not just the size of the camera, but the entire system. As I have said, we will continue to look at developments in camera technology, including better image resolution and detection capabilities. At the moment, smaller cameras mean shorter surveillance duration capabilities as well as very limited optical range.”
“As I have noted in my reply, the point-to-point or, PHC sector operators have already committed to convert their entire fleet to cleaner energy vehicles by 2040. And indeed, they have been progressively replacing their internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. So, for instance, for the taxi operators, between January 2018 and January of this year, the proportion of cleaner energy vehicles, hybrid as well as electric vehicles have actually increased from about 18% to close to 60%; about 59-odd percent. And for the point-to-point sector, the proportion has actually increased from about 20% over the same period to about 35%. So, they are progressively doing that and we will work closely with them in the transition to cleaner energy vehicles. 11.00 am”
“In 2020, the ride-hailing industry in Singapore generated an estimated 0.3 million tonnes of carbon emission when performing ride-hail trips. This is about 4% of the estimated seven million tonnes of carbon emission generated by the land transport sector. Under the Land Transport Master Plan 2040, our taxi and private hire car companies have committed to make their entire fleet run on cleaner energy by 2040, and operators such as ComfortDelGro and Grab have been adding electric vehicles to their fleets. The Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority will continue to work with our industry partners to transition the entire ride-hail fleet to cleaner energy vehicles. We hope with our recent push to promote Electric Vehicles (EVs) under the Green Plan, we will accelerate the transition.”
“In 2017, the penalty for illegal vehicle modification for the vehicle owners was increased to up to $5,000 or up to three months jail, or both for first-time offenders. The penalties are doubled for repeat offenders. In addition, we have introduced an enhanced vehicle inspection regime. That is for repeat offenders. Vehicle owners who are found to have modified their exhaust systems, for instance, for second or subsequent times, they will be subjected to more frequent mandatory vehicle inspections of every three to six months, instead of the normal every one to two years. In addition, if they are found to have tampered engines in the vehicles, the vehicles will have to be de-registered and they might not be granted rebates for the residual Certificate of Entitlement or Preferential Additional Registration Fee, if there is any. With these strict penalties, as well as our regular enforcement and inspection efforts, we have been able to reduce the number of illegal vehicle modification offences from about 1,800 per month on average in 2015 to about 550 per month on average in 2020.”
“I want to thank the Member for his supplementary question. It is, indeed, a serious offence for vehicles to be illegally modified because of the safety risks they pose as well as environmental hazards like noise pollution. But noise pollution from vehicles can be caused by a variety of factors: illegal modifications as well as the vehicle design or the driver's behaviour. Indeed, vehicle noise for some high performance vehicles may be louder, but it is not because they are illegally modified. Noise may also appear higher in residential neighbourhoods or at night when the ambient noise is low. Nonetheless, the agencies including LTA keep a very close track on public feedback on noisy vehicles and if we suspect that there is illegal vehicle modification, LTA will investigate and take action against those who are involved. As regards the Tanjong Pagar incident, SPF is still investigating, so it is premature for us to comment on this. I would like to also address the Member's query about stepping up enforcement and enhancing penalties against workshops. Indeed, in 2017, we updated the Road Traffic Act to strengthen our enforcement efforts against workshops. But it remains challenging to establish culpability against the workshop. For instance, we need the vehicle owners to identify the workshops and then, for them to agree to be prosecution witnesses. So far, the vehicle owners we have interviewed have not been cooperative. Nonetheless, LTA is looking at other measures to gather evidence to take action against the workshops. But more importantly, what we do is to stem the demand for such illegal modifications that is from the source. That is why we have also enhanced the penalties against vehicle owners found to have illegal vehicle modifications.”
“In the past two years, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has issued an average of 610 notices of offences per month to owners of illegally modified vehicles. These include the installation of non-compliant exhaust systems, lighting systems and tinted windows. Any person who illegally modifies a vehicle can similarly be penalised under the Road Traffic Act. LTA will investigate and take action against workshops if they are found to have engaged in illegal modification activities.”