Statute Details
- Title: Road Traffic (Car‑Free Weekend — Exemption of Trishaws and Trishaw Riders) Order 2016
- Act Code: RTA1961-S601-2016
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276), section 142
- Commencement: 27 November 2016
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Exemption)
- Amendment Noted: Amended by S 213/2024 with effect from 16 March 2024
- Related Legislation (as referenced): Road Traffic Act; Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules; Road Traffic (Registration of Trishaws) Rules; Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licences and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) Rules; Road Traffic (Bicycles, Three‑wheeled Pedal Cycles, Trishaws and Recumbent Devices — Construction and Use) Rules 2024; Health Promotion Board Act 2001; National Arts Council Act 1991; National Parks Act (repealed); National Parks Board Act 1996; and other bodies listed in the definition of “Car‑Free Weekend”.
What Is This Legislation About?
The Road Traffic (Car‑Free Weekend — Exemption of Trishaws and Trishaw Riders) Order 2016 is a targeted regulatory instrument made under the Road Traffic Act to facilitate “Car‑Free Weekend” events. In practical terms, it creates a temporary legal carve‑out from certain road traffic requirements that would otherwise apply to trishaws and trishaw riders during roads closures connected with Car‑Free Weekend.
Car‑Free Weekend is not a single fixed event; it is a category of events (including “Car‑Free Sunday” and “Car‑Free Weekend”) for which a permit is granted under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act. This Order therefore operates as an enabling mechanism: when the relevant roads are closed to traffic under an Order made under section 143, trishaws can be used on those closed roads without being constrained by specified provisions of the Road Traffic Act and related subsidiary rules.
From a legal practitioner’s perspective, the key point is that the exemption is conditional and time‑bound to the event context. It is not a general relaxation of trishaw regulation. Instead, it is a structured exception that applies only when (i) the trishaw is used on roads closed to traffic under the Car‑Free Weekend permit regime, and (ii) the event is organised by or on behalf of the bodies enumerated in the definition of “Car‑Free Weekend”.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) confirms the legal identity and start date of the Order. The Order is cited as the Road Traffic (Car‑Free Weekend — Exemption of Trishaws and Trishaw Riders) Order 2016 and comes into operation on 27 November 2016. The text also reflects that the Order has been amended since its original enactment (notably by S 213/2024 effective 16 March 2024), which is important for practitioners relying on the current wording.
Section 2 (Exemption) is the operative provision. It provides that certain sections of the Road Traffic Act and specified rules do not apply to trishaws and trishaw riders in defined circumstances. The exemption is drafted in multiple layers, distinguishing between (1) trishaws that are registered under the trishaw registration rules, (2) trishaws that are not registered, and (3) the individual riding the trishaw.
First layer: registered trishaws used on roads closed for Car‑Free Weekend. Section 2(1) states that sections 106, 107, 110 and 120(3) of the Road Traffic Act and rule 63(1)(c) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules do not apply to a trishaw registered under rule 2 of the Road Traffic (Registration of Trishaws) Rules while it is used on any road that is closed to traffic under an Order made under section 143 of the Act, in connection with Car‑Free Weekend.
Although the extract does not reproduce the content of those referenced provisions, the legal effect is clear: the Order temporarily removes the applicability of specified statutory and regulatory restrictions that would otherwise govern the operation of trishaws (including, by reference, aspects of licensing, use, and public service vehicle-related requirements). The exemption is expressly tied to the status of registration and the location of use (roads closed under section 143).
Second layer: unregistered trishaws used on Car‑Free Weekend roads. Section 2(2) extends the exemption further. It provides that sections 10, 11(1)(b), 12(1), 15, 26, 29(2), 101, 106, 107 and 110 of the Road Traffic Act do not apply to a trishaw that is not registered under rule 2 of the Road Traffic (Registration of Trishaws) Rules while it is used on a road mentioned in section 2(1) for the purposes of Car‑Free Weekend.
This is a particularly significant practitioner-facing point. Many regulatory regimes treat registration as a threshold requirement. By carving out the applicability of multiple Act provisions even where the trishaw is not registered, the Order reduces compliance barriers during the event. However, the exemption remains conditional: it only applies when the trishaw is used on the specified section 143 closed roads for the purposes of Car‑Free Weekend.
Third layer: exemption for the individual riding a trishaw. Section 2(3) focuses on the rider rather than the vehicle. It states that section 110(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act and rules 31, 33 and 39 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licences and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) Rules do not apply to an individual riding a trishaw on a road mentioned in section 2(1) for the purposes of Car‑Free Weekend.
In effect, the Order also relaxes certain vocational licensing or conduct requirements that would otherwise apply to trishaw riders. This rider-focused exemption is important for enforcement planning and for advising operators and participants on what documentation or compliance obligations may be suspended during the event period.
Definitions and scope control. Section 2(4) contains the key definitional controls. It defines “Car‑Free Weekend” as any event known as “Car‑Free Sunday” or “Car‑Free Weekend” for which a permit has been granted under section 143 of the Act. It further requires that the event is organised by or on behalf of one or more enumerated bodies: the Authority; the Health Promotion Board; the National Arts Council; the National Parks Board; the Singapore Sports Council; and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
It also defines “trishaw” by reference to the meaning given in rule 2 of the Road Traffic (Bicycles, Three‑wheeled Pedal Cycles, Trishaws and Recumbent Devices — Construction and Use) Rules 2024 (G.N. No. S 157/2024). This cross‑reference is legally important because it ties the exemption to the current definitional framework for what qualifies as a “trishaw” under the construction and use rules.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a short instrument with an enacting formula and two substantive provisions.
Section 1 deals with citation and commencement, establishing when the Order takes effect.
Section 2 contains the exemption. It is subdivided into four paragraphs:
- Section 2(1): exemptions for registered trishaws used on section 143 closed roads for Car‑Free Weekend.
- Section 2(2): additional exemptions for unregistered trishaws used on those roads.
- Section 2(3): exemptions for the individual rider of a trishaw on those roads.
- Section 2(4): definitions of “Car‑Free Weekend” and “trishaw”.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to trishaws and trishaw riders used on roads that are closed to traffic under a section 143 permit regime for Car‑Free Weekend. It does not apply universally to all trishaw activity; it is limited to the specific roads and event purposes described in section 2(1) and the definition in section 2(4).
Practically, the exemption benefits multiple stakeholders: trishaw operators (including those with registered and unregistered trishaws), riders, and organisers or participants who need to understand what regulatory constraints are suspended during the event. The rider exemption in section 2(3) is particularly relevant for advising individuals who would otherwise need to satisfy vocational licensing and conduct requirements.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it demonstrates how Singapore manages the tension between (i) maintaining road safety and regulatory compliance and (ii) enabling large public events that require road closures and alternative modes of transport. By granting a carefully bounded exemption, the law supports the continued use of trishaws during Car‑Free Weekend without requiring full compliance with certain provisions that may be impractical or unnecessary in the event context.
For enforcement and compliance, the conditional nature of the exemption is crucial. A practitioner advising a client should focus on verifying:
- that there is a permit under section 143 for the relevant Car‑Free Weekend event;
- that the trishaw is used on roads closed to traffic under the relevant section 143 Order;
- whether the trishaw is registered or not, because different sets of exemptions apply; and
- that the rider is the person “riding a trishaw” on the relevant roads for the event purposes.
From a risk-management standpoint, the Order reduces exposure to offences or regulatory breaches that would otherwise arise from the referenced provisions. At the same time, because it is an exemption, it should be treated as a strictly construed exception: if the factual conditions are not met (wrong roads, wrong event, wrong purpose, or outside the permit framework), the exemption may not apply.
Related Legislation
- Road Traffic Act (Cap. 276) (including sections 10, 11, 12, 15, 26, 29, 101, 106, 107, 110, 120(3), 142, 143)
- Road Traffic (Registration of Trishaws) Rules (rule 2)
- Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Rules (rule 63(1)(c))
- Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licences and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) Rules (rules 31, 33, 39)
- Road Traffic (Bicycles, Three‑wheeled Pedal Cycles, Trishaws and Recumbent Devices — Construction and Use) Rules 2024 (rule 2)
- Health Promotion Board Act 2001
- National Arts Council Act 1991
- National Parks Board Act 1996 (and the repealed National Parks Act referenced for continuity)
- Singapore Sports Council Act 1973 (as referenced in the definition of “Car‑Free Weekend”)
- Urban Redevelopment Authority Act 1989 (as referenced in the definition of “Car‑Free Weekend”)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Road Traffic (Car‑Free Weekend — Exemption of Trishaws and Trishaw Riders) Order 2016 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.