Statute Details
- Title: Active Mobility (United E & P Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2023
- Act Code: AMA2017-S449-2023
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Active Mobility Act 2017
- Power Used: Section 66 of the Active Mobility Act 2017
- Enacting Formula: Made by the Minister for Transport
- Date Made: 28 June 2023
- Commencement / Period in Force: In force from 1 July 2023 to 13 April 2026 (both inclusive)
- Key Provisions:
- Section 1: Citation and period in force
- Section 2: Definitions (including “specified footpath”, “specified motor vehicle”, “specified event”, “specified purpose”)
- Section 3: Exemption from section 16(1)(b) of the Active Mobility Act 2017 for authorised drivers of specified motor vehicles on specified footpaths for specified purposes
- Schedule: “Specified footpaths” (footpaths within areas bounded by black-coloured lines in the maps set out in the Schedule)
- Related Legislation: Active Mobility Act 2017; Road Traffic Act 1961; Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27)
- Amendment Note (from timeline): Amended by S 265/2025 with effect from 11/04/2025; version status current as at 26 Mar 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Active Mobility (United E & P Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2023 is a targeted exemption instrument made under the Active Mobility Act 2017. In plain terms, it allows a specific company—United E & P Pte. Ltd.—and its authorised drivers to use certain motor vehicles on designated footpaths, but only for tightly defined reasons and subject to strict safety and insurance conditions.
Under the Active Mobility Act 2017, footpaths are generally intended for pedestrians and “active mobility” users, and the law restricts the driving of motor vehicles on footpaths. This Order carves out a limited exception to those restrictions. The exemption is not general: it applies only to “specified motor vehicles” (a defined set of vehicles excluding various categories such as motorised personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, mobility scooters, and certain self-driving or robotic machines), only on “specified footpaths” (mapped areas in the Schedule), and only for “specified purposes” connected to a “specified event”, maintenance works, or emergency response.
Practically, the Order is designed to facilitate operational needs—such as event-related transport and maintenance—while preserving pedestrian safety. It also integrates licensing and insurance requirements drawn from the Road Traffic framework, ensuring that the exemption does not undermine broader road safety and liability protections.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and time-limited effect (Section 1)
Section 1(1) identifies the instrument as the “Active Mobility (United E & P Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2023”. Section 1(2) provides that the Order is in force for a defined period: from 1 July 2023 to 13 April 2026 (inclusive). This time-limited structure is important for practitioners: it signals that the exemption is meant to support a particular operational window rather than create a permanent carve-out.
2. Definitions that control the scope (Section 2)
Section 2 is central because the exemption in Section 3 depends on the meaning of several defined terms. Key definitions include:
- “Specified event”: a Formula 1 event or a similar competitive racing event open to the public (or a section of the public). This ties the exemption to major public events.
- “Specified purpose”: includes transporting individuals/things in connection with a specified event; transporting in connection with maintenance works; carrying out maintenance works; and responding to an emergency. This ensures the exemption is purpose-driven.
- “Specified footpath”: any footpath within the mapped areas bounded by black-coloured lines in the Schedule. The Schedule therefore functions like a geographic limitation.
- “Specified motor vehicle”: any motor vehicle other than a list of excluded categories. Notably excluded are motorised personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters, certain automatic detection devices, robotic machines operating independently, self-driving vehicles, and specific industrial lifting equipment (forklifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, lorry cranes). This exclusion list is a safety and risk-management measure: it prevents the exemption from being used for vehicle types that may pose different hazards or require different regulatory controls.
- “Hours of darkness”: from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the following day. This definition is used for lighting requirements.
- “Emergency”: an actual or imminent event causing harm/danger to life, health or safety; destruction/damage to property; or harm/danger to public health or safety. This definition matters because speed limits are relaxed only when responding to an emergency.
3. The exemption itself (Section 3)
Section 3 is the operative provision. It 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 for a specified purpose, provided all conditions in Section 3(a)–(f) are met.
For practitioners, the structure is “exemption conditional on compliance.” If any condition fails, the exemption does not apply, and the underlying prohibition in the Act may be engaged.
Condition (a): Authorisation by the company
The driver must be authorised by United E & P Pte. Ltd. (UEN 201319590G) to drive the specified motor vehicle for the specified purpose. This means the exemption is not available to unauthorised contractors or ad hoc drivers; there must be a demonstrable authorisation link to the named company.
Condition (b): Valid licence or Road Traffic Act exemption
The driver must either: (i) possess a valid driving licence granted under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27) authorising the driver to drive the class of specified motor vehicle; or (ii) be exempted under section 49 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 from the requirement to possess such a licence.
This condition aligns the exemption with Singapore’s licensing regime. It also anticipates that some categories of drivers may be exempt from licensing requirements under the Road Traffic Act, but only if the statutory exemption exists.
Condition (c): Speed and right-of-way
Two behavioural requirements apply when driving on the specified footpath: (i) the driver must not exceed 80 km/h unless responding to an emergency; and (ii) the driver must give way to other users of the specified footpath.
While 80 km/h is still a high threshold for a footpath environment, the provision’s inclusion suggests that the exemption is intended for controlled operational contexts (e.g., event logistics) rather than ordinary pedestrian areas. The “give way” requirement is the key pedestrian-safety safeguard.
Condition (d): Lighting during hours of darkness
During hours of darkness, the driver must keep the specified motor vehicle lit in a manner visible to other users of the specified footpath. This is a straightforward but essential safety requirement, and it is triggered by the defined “hours of darkness” window.
Condition (e) and (f): Insurance and insurer eligibility
The exemption also depends on insurance. At any time the vehicle is driven for the specified purpose, there must be a policy of insurance insuring against liability for: (i) death or bodily injury to any person other than the driver or any passenger; and (ii) property damage suffered by any person other than the driver or any passenger, caused by or arising out of the use of the specified motor vehicle.
Condition (f) further requires that the risk under the policy is assumed by an insurer who, at the time the policy is issued, is lawfully carrying on an insurance business in Singapore. This prevents reliance on unauthorised or non-compliant insurers and supports enforceability of claims.
Schedule: Specified footpaths
Although the extract does not reproduce the maps, the Schedule is legally significant. The definition of “specified footpath” refers to footpaths within areas bounded by black-coloured lines in the maps set out in the Schedule. For compliance, practitioners should treat the Schedule as determinative: the exemption is geographically limited, and the maps must be consulted to confirm whether a particular footpath segment falls within the bounded area.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a conventional subsidiary-legislation format:
- Enacting Formula: states that the Minister for Transport makes the Order under section 66 of the Active Mobility Act 2017.
- Section 1 (Citation and period in force): identifies the Order and sets the temporal scope.
- Section 2 (Definitions): defines the key terms that delimit the exemption.
- Section 3 (Exemption for driving specified motor vehicle): provides the conditional exemption from section 16(1)(b) of the Active Mobility Act 2017.
- THE SCHEDULE: lists the “Specified footpaths” via mapped boundaries.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption is directed at individual drivers who drive a specified motor vehicle on a specified footpath for a specified purpose. However, the driver’s ability to rely on the exemption is dependent on a chain of authorisation and compliance: the driver must be authorised by United E & P Pte. Ltd., must hold the appropriate driving licence (or qualify for a Road Traffic Act exemption), and must comply with speed, right-of-way, lighting, and insurance requirements.
Accordingly, the Order is most relevant to (i) United E & P Pte. Ltd. and its operational teams; (ii) contractors and drivers engaged for event logistics, maintenance works, or emergency response in the mapped areas; and (iii) insurers and risk managers ensuring that policies meet the statutory requirements.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it demonstrates how Singapore balances two competing policy goals: enabling operational mobility during major public events and maintenance activities, while protecting pedestrians and other active mobility users. By limiting the exemption to specified vehicles, specified footpaths, and specified purposes, the Order reduces the risk of “scope creep” that could otherwise undermine the general prohibition on driving on footpaths.
For legal practitioners, the conditional nature of the exemption is the primary compliance lesson. The exemption is not automatic; it is available only if all conditions are satisfied. This creates clear grounds for enforcement action if, for example, a driver lacks the correct licence, fails to maintain lighting during hours of darkness, exceeds the speed limit (outside emergency response), or operates without the required insurance coverage.
From a risk and liability perspective, the insurance provisions are also significant. They require coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage to persons other than the driver and passengers. This aligns with broader road traffic liability principles and ensures that injured third parties have a pathway to compensation.
Related Legislation
- Active Mobility Act 2017 (including section 16(1)(b) and section 66)
- Road Traffic Act 1961 (including section 49)
- Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules (R 27)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Active Mobility (United E & P Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Order 2023 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.