Cyclists fined for first time since new group size rule introduced

SINGAPORE: Twenty-six cyclists were fined S$150 (US$110) each for breaking a rule on the size of cycling groups on roads, the first time fines have been handed out since the introduction of the new rule at the start of 2022.

The errant cyclists were caught during an enforcement operation conducted by officers from the traffic police and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) between Jun 24 and Jul 8, said the police and LTA on Friday (Jul 14).

Cyclists on roads in Singapore must keep to groups of no more than five bicycles in length. They have to ride in single file on single-lane roads and in bus lanes during the stipulated hours.

On roads with two or more lanes, they can cycle two abreast, in groups of up to 10.

Those who break the rules can be fined S$150. Groups are advised to keep two lamp-posts, or about 30m, apart from each other.

On Tuesday, a video of a group of cyclists riding on the extreme left lane along Seletar Aerospace Drive was posted on the ROADS.sg Facebook page.

The video later shows them gathered on a footpath at a traffic junction with several officers from the traffic police and LTA, who were part of the enforcement operation.

During the operation, the officers also “conducted education outreach to raise awareness on cycling rules and guidelines”, said the police and LTA in their news release.

“TP will continue to conduct enforcement operations against errant cyclists and will not hesitate to take action against them,” they added.

The police had said in May that no summons had been issued to cyclists since the composition fine amount of S$150 was raised from Jan 1, 2022, to improve road safety.

The higher fine applies to those who break other existing cycling rules, which include failing to stop at red lights, cycling on expressways, and riding abreast of another cyclist on single lane roads or on bus lanes during bus lane operational hours.

The limit on cycling group sizes was also introduced in 2022 due to space constraints on Singapore’s roads.

This followed an increase in the popularity of cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was accompanied by a spike in the number of traffic accidents involving bicycles. 

About a year after the rule was implemented, road cyclists told CNA the new rules were not practical because riders are unable to prevent other cyclists from merging into the original group, and switching formations was a concern when travelling along a mix of single-lane and multi-lane roads.

The police and LTA said on Friday that all cyclists are urged to abide by cycling rules and guidelines for their safety, and to keep the roads safe for all.

These include obeying traffic signals and travelling in the same direction as the flow of traffic; wearing a helmet while on the roads; riding as close as practicable to the far left edge of roads and allowing traffic to overtake them in a safe manner; and using bicycle lanes when available.