ILLEGAL MODIFICATION OF MOTORCYCLES

ILLEGAL MODIFICATION OF MOTORCYCLES: 5.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is done to regulate the

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illegal modification of motorcycles which has resulted in excessive noise emission from the exhaust when driven; (b) which is the agency that regulates the import of such noise emitting exhaust, enforces against errant modifications/excessive noise, and attends to complaints on such issues; (c) which is the highest age group of offenders caught with illegally modified motorcycles; and (d) how many errant suppliers and motorcyclists have been caught and penalised in the past two years.

The Minister for Transport (Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat): The Land Transport Authority (LTA) requires all vehicles, including motorcycles, to be sent for periodic inspections at authorised inspection centres to ensure that they are roadworthy, and that there have not been any illegal modifications made. Motorcycles that fail the inspection would be required to make good the fault.

Besides the mandated inspection regime for motorcycles to deter and detect illegal modifications, LTA also conducts regular checks on the road as well as carry out blitzes island-wide to enforce such offences. Those found to have modified their exhaust systems without approval will face fines of up to $500, and be charged in court if they are repeat offenders. In addition, LTA acts on the complaints it receives against motorcycles with excessive noise emission due to modified or defective exhaust systems by notifying the owners to send their motorcycles for inspections.

Over the last two years, there have been 670 cases of motorcycles being caught for illegal modification of the exhaust system.

Ms Ellen Lee (Sembawang):

Supplementary question, Minister. Most of these complaints of excessive noise are usually

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raised by residents who complain that these noises occur in the middle of the night. And I guess at that point in time, the Ministry officials will not be on patrol to check on these. I am wondering whether or not there will be a regime that will be carried out by the Ministry to make sure that, other than the day checks, something could be done at night, especially in the dead of night. The other thing is whether the Ministry would consider raising the penalty because I think $500 for illegal modifications is perhaps too low in today's context.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: With regard to the first question on whether or not it is possible to do checks in the early hours of the morning, it is not possible to do patrols over the whole of Singapore. But if there are certain problem areas and residents are complaining, please let us know and then we can look into them.

As for the penalties, we think they are still effective today. But if we get more feedback that they are ineffective, we can review them.

Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): I would like the Minister to know that actually we have given quite a lot of feedback to LTA. Very often, especially when I visit Orchid Condominium, at Yishun Avenue 1, without fail, at every visit, I get complaints about noise generated by the motorcyclists. This is feedback to the Minister.