MOTORISED BICYCLES

Column: 760

MOTORISED BICYCLES: 15.

Dr Warren Lee asked the Minister for Transport what actions the Government intends to take regarding motorised bicycles using internal combustion engines, now that only electrically powered motorised bicycles are allowed on our roads.

Column: 761

The Minister for Transport (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Traffic Police (TP) have since 1st January 2005, introduced a revised set of requirements for low-powered motorised bicycles that can be exempted from registration. These requirements are to enhance the safety of riders as well as other road users.

Prior to this revision, motorised bicycles using low-powered internal combustion engines (also known as petrol-driven bicycles) with an engine capacity of up to 23 cc were treated like conventional bicycles and were allowed for use on public roads. However, the LTAfound that petrol-driven bicycleswere being fitted with higher capacity engines that ranged from 30 cc to even 90 cc. These bicycles have higher power and were able to travel at higher speeds, whichtheir construction and brake systems were not designed to cope with. They posed a danger to the riders as well as other road users. In view of the serious safety risk,the LTA decided not to exempt petrol-driven bicycles from registration and technical requirements. As such, with effect from 1st January 2005, all petrol-driven bicycles, regardless of engine capacity, are treated like any motorcycle and must meet the technical and registration requirements of a motorcycle.

Since the implementation of the revised requirements, the LTA has seen a significant decline in the use of petrol-driven bicycles on public roads. So far, only four riders have been caught using petrol-driven bicycles on public roads. They were advised to remove the engines and fuel tanks from their bicycles if they wished to continue using their bicycles on public roads.

The LTA and the Traffic Police will continue to take enforcement action against riders using suchbicycles on public roads to ensure the safety of the

Column: 762

riders themselvesas well as other road users.