Statute Details
- Title: Active Mobility (Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2022
- Act Code: AMA2017-S595-2022
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary Legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Active Mobility Act 2017
- Enacting Power: Section 66 of the Active Mobility Act 2017
- Date Made: 12 July 2022
- Commencement / Period in Force: 18 July 2022 to 18 June 2027 (both dates inclusive)
- Key Provisions: Sections 1–4 and the Schedule (specified paths)
- Company Identified: Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. (UEN 200500891W)
- Amendment Noted in Extract: Amended by S 599/2024 with effect from 18/07/2024
What Is This Legislation About?
The Active Mobility (Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2022 is a targeted exemption order made under the Active Mobility Act 2017. In plain terms, it allows a specific company—Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd.—to authorise certain individuals to drive particular motor vehicles (and, separately, a boom lift) along defined footpaths or shared paths for a limited, work-related purpose.
The exemption is not general. It is confined to a defined “specified activity” (transport connected with the installation, removal and maintenance of a tremor monitoring system) carried out during the period 18 July 2022 to 18 June 2027. It is also geographically constrained: the vehicles may be driven only on “specified paths” shown in the maps in the Schedule.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the Order matters because it carves out exceptions to restrictions in the Active Mobility Act 2017—specifically provisions dealing with who may drive motor vehicles on active mobility paths and under what conditions. The Order effectively permits controlled, low-speed, insured, and authorised use of certain vehicles on pedestrian-oriented infrastructure, while imposing safety and risk-management conditions designed to protect other path users.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and duration (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal name of the Order and states the period in force: from 18 July 2022 to 18 June 2027 (inclusive). This temporal limitation is crucial: the exemption is available only during that window. After 18 June 2027, the exemption ceases unless a new order is made.
2. Definitions (Section 2)
Section 2 defines the entities and concepts that control the scope of the exemption:
- “Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd.” is identified by reference to its incorporation under the Companies Act 1967 and its UEN.
- “specified activity” is to transport any individual or thing in connection with the installation, removal and maintenance of a tremor monitoring system carried out by the company during the stated period.
- “specified motor vehicle” is defined negatively: it is a motor vehicle other than a list of excluded categories (including motorised personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters, automatic detection devices, robotic machines designed to move independently, self-driving vehicles, lorry cranes, forklifts, scissor lifts, and—importantly—boom lifts).
- “specified path” means any footpath or shared path within areas bounded by black-coloured lines in the maps in the Schedule.
Practically, these definitions ensure that the exemption is limited to the company’s work and to particular infrastructure. The exclusion list for “specified motor vehicle” is also significant: it signals that the Act’s general restrictions remain for many common categories of mobility and work vehicles, while still allowing certain other motor vehicles to be used under the exemption.
3. Exemption for driving a “specified motor vehicle” (Section 3)
Section 3 is the core exemption. It states that Sections 16(1)(b) and 17(1) of the Active Mobility Act 2017 do not apply to an individual who drives a specified motor vehicle on a specified path, provided all conditions are met.
The conditions are cumulative and include:
- Authorisation by the company: the driver must be authorised by Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. to drive the specified motor vehicle to transport individuals or things in connection with the specified activity.
- Valid driving licence: the driver must possess a valid driving licence under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27) authorising the driver to drive the class of specified motor vehicle.
- Purpose limitation: the vehicle must be driven only for the purpose described in the authorisation condition.
- Right-of-way / safety: the driver must give way to other users of the specified path.
- Lighting requirement at night: the specified motor vehicle must be lit in a manner visible to other users from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Speed cap: the driver must not exceed 10 km/h.
- Insurance requirement: there must be in force an insurance policy covering liability for death or bodily injury to persons other than the driver or passengers, and property damage to persons other than the driver or passengers, caused by or arising out of use of the specified motor vehicle.
- Insurer eligibility: the insurance risk must be assumed by an insurer lawfully carrying on insurance business in Singapore at the time the policy is issued.
For legal advisers, the insurance and insurer-eligibility conditions are particularly important. They create a compliance benchmark that can be audited: the policy must exist, must cover the specified categories of third-party harm, and must be underwritten by a Singapore-lawful insurer.
4. Exemption for driving a boom lift (Section 4)
Section 4 provides a separate exemption for driving a boom lift on a specified path. Like Section 3, it removes the application of Sections 16(1)(b) and 17(1) of the Active Mobility Act 2017, but only if all conditions are satisfied.
The conditions include:
- Company authorisation: the driver must be authorised by Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. to drive the boom lift for the specified activity.
- Competency training: the driver must have attended and passed the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) — Operate Boom Lift Course. This is a clear statutory training gate.
- Purpose limitation: the boom lift must be used only for the specified activity.
- Speed cap: not exceeding 10 km/h.
- Give way: the driver must give way to other users of the specified path.
- Lighting requirement: visible lighting from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Insurance requirement: insurance must be in force covering death/bodily injury and property damage to persons other than the driver or passengers.
- Insurer eligibility: the insurer must be lawfully carrying on insurance business in Singapore at the time of issuance.
Compared with Section 3, Section 4 adds a specific training requirement (WSQ Operate Boom Lift Course). This reflects the higher operational risk associated with boom lifts and ensures that only trained personnel operate them on pedestrian infrastructure.
The Schedule (Specified paths)
Although the extract does not reproduce the maps, the Schedule is legally essential. It defines the geographic boundaries of the footpaths/shared paths where the exemptions may be used. In practice, counsel should treat the Schedule as a compliance document: if a vehicle is driven outside the mapped area, the exemption may not apply.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a straightforward format typical of exemption orders:
- Enacting Formula: identifies the authorising power under the Active Mobility Act 2017.
- Section 1 (Citation and period in force): sets the name and the effective dates.
- Section 2 (Definitions): defines the company, the specified activity, the categories of vehicles, and the specified paths.
- Section 3 (Exemption for driving specified motor vehicle): provides the exemption and enumerates conditions.
- Section 4 (Exemption for driving boom lift): provides a parallel exemption for boom lifts with additional training requirements.
- The Schedule: contains the maps defining the specified paths.
There are no “Parts” listed in the extract, and the operative content is concentrated in Sections 1–4 and the Schedule.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to individuals who drive the relevant vehicles on the relevant paths, but only when they are acting within the framework established by Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. The driver must be authorised by the company and must be driving for the specified activity.
Accordingly, the practical beneficiaries are (i) authorised drivers of specified motor vehicles and boom lifts, and (ii) the company that controls authorisation and ensures compliance (licensing, training, speed, lighting, right-of-way, and insurance). The Order does not create a right for the general public to drive vehicles on active mobility paths; it is a narrow, compliance-driven permission for a particular operator and activity.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it demonstrates how Singapore regulates vehicle use on pedestrian-oriented infrastructure under the Active Mobility Act 2017. The default position under the Act is restrictive: certain driving activities are not permitted on active mobility paths. This Order shows the mechanism for obtaining a controlled exemption—one that balances operational needs (transporting equipment and personnel for installation/removal/maintenance work) with safety and third-party risk protection.
For practitioners advising companies, the Order provides a checklist of compliance conditions. The most legally consequential elements are: (1) authorisation by the named company; (2) correct vehicle category and correct path location as defined in the Schedule; (3) driver qualification (driving licence for specified motor vehicles; WSQ Operate Boom Lift Course for boom lifts); (4) operational constraints (give way, maximum speed of 10 km/h, and lighting between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.); and (5) insurance coverage and insurer eligibility.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, failure to meet any condition could mean the exemption does not apply, leaving the driver exposed to the underlying restrictions in the Active Mobility Act 2017. Counsel should therefore consider advising on internal compliance systems: maintaining copies of authorisation records, verifying licence classes, tracking WSQ course completion, documenting insurance policies, and ensuring operational adherence to speed and lighting requirements.
Related Legislation
- Active Mobility Act 2017 (including Sections 16(1)(b), 17(1), and the exemption-making power in Section 66)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27)
- Companies Act 1967 (for company identification)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Active Mobility (Ryobi Geotechnique International Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2022 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.