Impact of Enhanced Penalties in Road Traffic Act

Mr Alex Yam asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the number of employers who have been fined for contravening the Road Traffic Act in respect of the ferrying of workers by lorries since the enhanced penalties were introduced in February 2011; (b) what is the impact of the tighter regulations on the provision of transport for workers; and (c) whether there are plans to review the regulations.

The Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Josephine Teo) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, Sir, to reduce business costs, owners and hirers of goods vehicles are currently allowed to use their vehicles to transport their workers to and from their places of work or business, subject to various safety regulations. LTA has put in place a set of rules under the Road Traffic Act to enhance the safety of workers transported at the rear of lorries and pickup trucks.

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These rules require the workers to be safely seated at a height of not more than 1.1 metres from the carriage deck and the vehicle must not travel faster than 60 km/h. Lorries must also be fitted with canopies and higher side railings if they are to be used to transport workers on the carriage deck. A Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label must be displayed on the goods vehicles to indicate the maximum number of workers that can be transported, based on a minimum space requirement per person. If goods are also transported, the number of persons should be reduced accordingly. The label serves as a reminder to the vehicle owner/driver on the maximum number of workers the vehicle can carry as well as facilitates enforcement against errant employers/ drivers who overload their vehicles.

Since 1 February 2011, LTA and Traffic Police (TP) have imposed higher fines and demerit points for non-compliance with safety regulations for the transportation of workers on lorries for greater deterrence. A total of 1,329 offenders have been caught for non-compliance with these safety regulations from February to September 2011. Enforcement records showed there has generally been a high level of compliance to these safety rules. The number of violations of these rules during the eight-month period before and after the enhanced penalties were introduced has fallen by 49%. Similarly, the accident statistics over the same period showed that the number of fatalities has dropped from five to no fatality while the number of injuries has fallen from 199 to 83 cases.

I would like to assure the Member that notwithstanding the reduction in the number of violations, LTA and TP remain vigilant. The safety regulations that are in place, in our assessment, have helped to ensure a higher level of safety for workers who need to travel on lorries in the course of their work. The efforts put in by all the relevant agencies underscore the Government's concern about the safety of workers transported on lorries. Employers and drivers must also play their part as safety is also their joint responsibility. LTA will continue to monitor the situation and, if necessary, review the current measures.

Mr Alex Yam (Chua Chu Kang): I thank the Minister of State for the very comprehensive reply. I am heartened to note that the safety standards for transporting workers have improved since the introduction of the new penalties. I have just one supplementary question. In terms of the summons issued, I understand that it allows for business owners and hirers to transport their workers from lodging to place of work, and in between places of work. However, for some estates, there have been instances where workers are transported from their lodgings to public transport hubs for workers to commute further. Is this an area that is covered under the Act and are there any penalties issued for contravening the Act in this area?

Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Speaker, Sir, if I understand the gist of Mr Yam's question, I believe he is concerned about the employers allowing their workers to be transported to the MRT stations, so that they can then use the public transport system to get to their workplaces. Could I seek that clarification from him, please?

Mr Alex Yam: Yes. That is correct.

Mrs Josephine Teo: Currently, there is no restriction against transportation of such nature. The broader concern that Mr Yam highlighted is that this is adding to the public transport load. We do not encourage the employers to over extend the use of public transport for their workers travelling between workplaces. If Mr Yam knows of specific instances, we could talk to the employers to help to moderate the situation and we would be very happy to facilitate.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir. I think this practice is quite rampant. It is not just happening at any one particular place. A lot of residents have given such feedback. I want to urge the Ministry to look into this: whether the contractors are allowed to let their workers take the public transport, when our public transport is already so packed.

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Mrs Josephine Teo: I thank the Member for her question and for expressing her concern. The very nature of public transport must mean that the public can use it. Whoever you are, working in Singapore, living in Singapore, even if you are a tourist, you can use public transport. But I understand the Member's concern and would be very willing to work with various advisors to take a look at this problem and, where necessary, work with the employers to reduce such incidents.