SINGAPORE: The deadline to ban personal mobility devices (PMD) without the UL2272 safety certification from public paths has been brought forward by six months to July 2020, Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min announced in Parliament on Monday (Aug 5).
This comes after the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced last month that it was reviewing its end-2020 deadline for UL2272 compliance, following a recent spate of PMD-related fires.
AdvertisementAdvertisement[h=3]READ: Preventing PMD fires: Tips on charging your device safely[/h][h=3]READ: Fires involving e-scooters, e-bikes spike by 50% in 2018[/h]There have been 49 PMD-related fires reported in the first half of this year, compared to 52 for the whole of last year.
On Jul 22, a flat in Ang Mo Kio was destroyed and neighboring units damaged after an electric scooter exploded while being charged. Four days earlier, a 40-year-old man died after a PMD-related fire razed his Bukit Batok flat.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“The UL2272 standard improves safety against fire and electrical hazards significantly, by requiring the devices to pass a stringent set of tests conducted by accredited testing centres under extreme physical conditions,” Dr Lam said.
“UL2272 automatically cuts off battery charging once the battery is fully charged, thus avoiding overcharging which is a cause of fire.”
Dr Lam also announced that LTA will schedule all e-scooters – both new and currently registered – for inspections from April 2020. The inspection will be free of charge.
The inspections will check for UL2272 certification, width, weight and device speed limits. For new e-scooters, inspections will have to be carried out before they can be registered.
Dr Lam said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) is studying ways to encourage users to come forward and dispose of their non-UL2272 certified PMDs early, adding that more details will be announced later.
“LTA is also working with the National Environment Agency to ensure safe and convenient disposal of non-UL2272 certified devices,” he added.
EARLIER DEADLINE
Addressing the earlier deadline for UL2272 compliance, Dr Lam said “we think this is the earliest reasonable deadline” as many Singaporeans rely on PMDs for their livelihoods and commuting needs.
“This will also give retailers time to bring in sufficient stock of UL2272-certified devices,” he added. Retailers have been banned from selling non-UL2272-certified devices since July.
[h=3]READ: 3 people injured in e-scooter fire at Cashew Road flat[/h][h=3]READ: Toa Payoh man taken to hospital after battery pack in personal mobility device catches fire[/h]Nevertheless, Dr Lam acknowledged that some users are concerned about the costs of switching out their non-UL2272-certified PMDs. Some of the more popular UL2272 certified PMDs can cost between S$600 and S$1,000.
“Users were unhappy about having to give up devices that were still usable and having to pay significantly more for a UL2272-certified PMD,” he said.
To this end, Dr Lam said food delivery companies have tied up with PMD operators to offer PMD rentals for food delivery riders, and have announced their commitment to help riders convert to, or rent, UL2272-certified PMDs.
“LTA will work with food delivery companies to offer more attractive rates for PMD rentals,” he added. “From LTA’s engagement with retailers, we are also aware that they will bring in more UL2272-certified PMDs with higher capacity and longer range soon.”
MANDATORY INSPECTION
As for the mandatory inspection of e-scooters, MOT is still working on details like where the inspections will be held and how users will be notified.
It is working with authorised inspection centres on training and deployment of staff, and the installation of jigs that can test the different parameters of PMDs.
MOT is also studying if the inspection should be done on periodic basis, given the two- to three-year lifespan of a PMD. Subsequent inspections will likely not be free. Users who miss inspections will also face sanctions.
MOT hopes to complete inspections of registered e-scooters by end-2020. There are currently 90,000 registered e-scooters.
EARLY DISPOSAL
On the early disposal of non-UL2272-certified PMDs, Dr Lam urged users to switch these devices out “as soon as possible”. “They can be a fire risk if you still keep and charge them at home,” he said.
Dr Lam said users should not try to modify devices which are already UL2272 certified as this could affect the circuitry and device safety. Device owners should instead approach their retailer or an authorised agent who are familiar with the approved battery models.
“We will also crack down on illegal modifications of PMDs,” he stated. “Individuals caught doing so will be liable for a fine and/or jail term.”
ENFORCEMENT
On the issue of enforcement, Dr Lam said LTA will continue to ramp up enforcement and increase its enforcement team to about 200 by the end of this year. The current team is 100-strong.
"This will be supplemented by crowdsourced feedback through LTA's recently launched 'Report PMD/PAB Incident' function in the MyTransport.SG app," he added, noting that LTA is also trialling the use of cameras to detect offences like speeding.
Since May 2018, LTA's officers have detected over 4,900 active mobility offences and impounded more than 2,100 non-compliant devices.
"We take a tough stance against retailers who display or sell non-compliant devices, as well as those who provide illegal device modification services," Dr Lam said, stating that LTA has taken action against 12 PMD retailers.
In addition, Dr Lam said MOT is "closely monitoring" whether current penalty regimes are effective in deterring errant riding behaviour.
In February. a PMD rider was sentenced to seven weeks' jail for knocking down a pedestrian and causing griveous hurt.
"This will serve as a precedent for future cases," Dr Lam said. "We will enhance penalties if necessary."
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