Statute Details
- Title: Active Mobility (Exemption for Use of Vehicle on Specified Footpath — Marina Bay) Order 2022
- Act Code: AMA2017-S380-2022
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Active Mobility Act 2017 (specifically, powers under section 66)
- Related Authorising Legislation: Urban Redevelopment Authority Act 1989 (definition of URA)
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Transport in exercise of powers conferred by section 66 of the Active Mobility Act 2017
- Key Provisions: Sections 2 to 5; Schedule (Specified Footpaths)
- Current Version: Current version as at 26 Mar 2026
- Amendment History (from provided timeline): Amended by S 883/2022 (15 Nov 2022), S 738/2023 (15 Nov 2023), S 707/2025 (15 Nov 2025)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Active Mobility (Exemption for Use of Vehicle on Specified Footpath — Marina Bay) Order 2022 (“the Order”) creates a controlled legal pathway for certain vehicles to be driven on a defined set of footpaths in the Marina Bay area. In ordinary circumstances, the Active Mobility Act 2017 restricts the use of vehicles on footpaths to protect pedestrians and active mobility users. This Order carves out a narrow exemption for specific operational needs during “specified events” managed or controlled by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
In plain terms, the Order recognises that large-scale events—such as exhibitions, maintenance activities, or event operations—may require the movement of vehicles and equipment across pedestrianised areas. Rather than prohibiting all vehicle movement, the Order permits it only when strict conditions are met: authorisation by URA, limits on speed, lighting requirements at night, a “give way” obligation, and insurance coverage for risks to other persons and property.
The Order also distinguishes between different categories of equipment. It provides exemptions for (i) “specified motor vehicles” generally, (ii) worksite lifts such as forklifts, boom lifts and scissor lifts, and (iii) lorry cranes. Each category has its own conditions, including competency/training requirements for operators of certain equipment (through WSQ courses).
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Definitions and the geographic scope (Section 2 and the Schedule). The Order’s operative effect depends on what counts as a “specified footpath” and what counts as a “specified event.” A “specified event” is any event or series of related activities in Singapore conducted on land under the control or management of URA. A “specified footpath” is defined by reference to a map in the Schedule—specifically, footpaths within areas bounded or delineated by black-coloured lines on that map.
Practitioners should treat the Schedule as essential evidence of scope. If a footpath is not within the mapped boundaries, the exemption does not apply. Similarly, if the activity is not a “specified event” under URA control/management, the exemption framework is not triggered.
2. Exemption for driving a “specified motor vehicle” (Section 3). Section 3 states that section 16(1)(b) of the Active Mobility Act 2017 does not apply to an individual who drives a “specified motor vehicle” on a “specified footpath,” provided all conditions are satisfied.
The definition of “specified motor vehicle” is important because it excludes certain categories (such as motorised personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and various self-driving/robotic vehicles). It also explicitly includes industrial equipment categories like forklifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, and lorry cranes—though those are separately addressed in Sections 4 and 5. The structure suggests that Section 3 is aimed at a narrower set of motor vehicles not carved out by the exclusions, while Sections 4 and 5 address worksite machinery with additional operator competence requirements.
Key conditions in Section 3 include:
- URA authorisation (Section 3(a)). The individual must be authorised by URA to drive the vehicle for specified purposes connected with the event: transporting persons or things; selling food or beverages; carrying out maintenance works; or exhibiting/displaying the vehicle.
- Purpose limitation (Section 3(b)). The vehicle must be driven only for one of the permitted purposes.
- Night-time lighting (Section 3(c)). The vehicle must be lit in a manner visible to other footpath users from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Speed limit (Section 3(d)). Maximum speed of 10 km/h.
- Pedestrian priority (Section 3(e)). The driver must give way to other users of the specified footpath.
- Driving licence (Section 3(f)). The driver must hold a valid driving licence granted under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules authorising the driver to drive the relevant class of specified motor vehicle.
- Insurance coverage (Section 3(g) and (h)). There must be a policy of insurance in force covering death/bodily injury and property damage to persons other than the driver/passengers, arising from use of the vehicle. The “risk under the policy” must be assumed by an insurer lawfully carrying on insurance business in Singapore.
3. Exemption for forklifts, boom lifts and scissor lifts (Section 4). Section 4 provides a similar exemption from section 16(1)(b) for driving these machines on specified footpaths, but with additional operator competence requirements.
For each equipment type, the driver must be:
- Authorised by URA to use the equipment for transporting anything in connection with a specified event (Section 4(a)(i), 4(b)(i), 4(ba)(i));
- Trained and certified under WSQ:
- Forklift: WSQ — Operate Forklift Course (Section 4(a)(ii));
- Boom lift: WSQ — Operate Boom Lift Course (Section 4(b)(ii));
- Scissor lift: WSQ — Operate Scissor Lift Course (Section 4(ba)(ii)).
- Using the equipment only for the permitted purpose (Section 4(c), with purpose cross-referenced to the URA authorisation sub-paragraphs);
- Compliant with safety conditions: lighting from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. (Section 4(d)), speed not exceeding 10 km/h (Section 4(e)), and giving way to other footpath users (Section 4(f));
- Covered by insurance for death/bodily injury and property damage to persons other than driver/passengers (Section 4(h)), with insurer lawfully carrying on business in Singapore (Section 4(i)).
Notably, Section 4 does not merely permit operation; it imposes a training gate. For practitioners advising event organisers or contractors, this is a critical compliance point: failure to ensure WSQ certification could defeat the exemption and expose the operator to liability under the Act.
4. Exemption for lorry cranes (Section 5). Section 5 mirrors the structure of Section 4 but tailored to lorry cranes. The conditions include URA authorisation for transporting any individual or thing in connection with a specified event; WSQ training and passing the WSQ — Operate Lorry Crane Course; use only for the authorised purpose; lighting from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.; speed not exceeding 10 km/h; giving way; and possession of a valid driving licence authorising the class of lorry crane (Section 5(a) to (g)). The excerpt truncates the remainder, but the pattern indicates insurance requirements similar to Sections 3 and 4.
From a legal risk perspective, Section 5 is best read as completing the same compliance “bundle”: authorisation + competency + operational limits + insurance + pedestrian priority.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is compact and structured for practical use:
- Section 1 (Citation): Provides the short title of the Order.
- Section 2 (Definitions): Defines “specified event,” “specified footpath,” “specified motor vehicle,” and URA.
- Section 3 (Exemption for driving specified motor vehicle): Sets out the conditions under which section 16(1)(b) of the Active Mobility Act 2017 does not apply.
- Section 4 (Exemption for driving forklift, boom lift or scissor lift): Provides a specialised exemption with WSQ course requirements and safety/insurance conditions.
- Section 5 (Exemption for driving lorry crane): Provides a specialised exemption with WSQ course requirements, licence requirements, and safety/insurance conditions.
- The Schedule: Lists the “specified footpaths” by reference to a map delineation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to individuals who drive the relevant vehicles/equipment on specified footpaths during specified events. It is therefore not limited to URA employees; it extends to authorised drivers and operators engaged by event organisers, contractors, exhibitors, maintenance providers, and other parties participating in URA-controlled/managed events.
In practice, the exemption is conditional on multiple parties’ actions: URA must authorise the use; the driver must hold the appropriate licence (where required) and WSQ certification (for lifts and cranes); and an insurance policy must be in force. Accordingly, the Order is best understood as a compliance framework that event stakeholders must coordinate.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is significant because it balances two competing policy objectives: protecting pedestrians and active mobility users on footpaths, while enabling practical event operations in a dense urban environment. By limiting the exemption to URA-controlled events and mapped footpaths, it prevents broad erosion of the general prohibition on vehicle use on footpaths.
For practitioners, the most important practical impact is that the exemption is conditional and evidence-driven. If a driver cannot show URA authorisation, WSQ certification (where applicable), compliance with speed and lighting rules, and valid insurance, the exemption may not apply. That can shift liability back to the general prohibitions in the Active Mobility Act 2017.
Additionally, the Order’s insurance requirements are not merely formalities. They specify coverage for death/bodily injury and property damage to persons other than the driver or passengers, and they require that the insurer is lawfully carrying on insurance business in Singapore. This is particularly relevant for claims arising from incidents on pedestrianised areas, where causation and scope of coverage can be contested.
Related Legislation
- Active Mobility Act 2017 (in particular, section 16(1)(b) and the exemption-making power under section 66)
- Urban Redevelopment Authority Act 1989 (establishing URA; used for the definition of URA in the Order)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27) (driving licence authorisation requirement referenced in the Order)
- Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses referenced in the Order (Operate Forklift / Operate Boom Lift / Operate Scissor Lift / Operate Lorry Crane)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Active Mobility (Exemption for Use of Vehicle on Specified Footpath — Marina Bay) Order 2022 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.