The Traffic Police (TP) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducted an enforcement operation that lasted two weeks to crack down on errant on-road cyclists breaching the cycling group size rule.

In a press release dated Jul. 14, 2023, Commander of Traffic Police, Senior Assistant Commissioner Daniel Tan, pointed out that the enforcement operation is part of TP’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on errant cyclists and cycling rules are put in place to ensure the safety of all cyclists and road users.

Group of cyclists caught on the way to dedicated cycling track

News of the operation started circulating amongst cyclist groups on social media since the operation started on Jun. 24, 2023.

Some cyclists were upset that they had to pay a fine.

On the last day of the operation on Jul. 8, 2023, TP invited Mothership for a media tag-along to observe and understand the operation better.

The day’s operation started in the evening at Sengkang.

Operational details of the raid cannot be revealed.

After identifying a group of errant cyclists, the enforcement officers stopped them along Seletar Aerospace Drive.

The group of around 15 cyclists were visibly upset after the police officers stopped them.

However, after some persuasion, they eventually accepted the S$150 composition fine per cyclist.

Mothership understands they were heading to the nearby dedicated on-road cycling lane at West Camp Road, where the cycling group size rule does not apply.

Some cyclists were seen riding on West Camp Road after the episode.

The cycling lane is demarcated by solid blue lines.

26 cyclists fined

The agencies issued a total of 26 composition fines to cyclists who breached the group size rule during the two-week operation.

The group size rule took effect on Jan. 1, 2022, which requires groups of cyclists to keep to a maximum length of five bicycles.

This means there can only be five if riding in a single file or 10 cyclists if riding two abreast, as rules also state that there can only be up to two cyclists riding abreast.

The composition fine of S$150 also applies to those who break other existing cycling rules.

This includes failure to stop at red lights, cycling on expressways, and riding abreast of another cyclist on single-lane roads or bus lanes during bus lane operational hours.

TP urges cyclists to keep to rules

TP urges cyclists to abide by prevailing cycling rules and guidelines for safety and other road users.

Other than the group size rule, the other rules include:

• Obey all traffic signals and travel in the same direction as the flow of traffic

• Wear a helmet when cycling on roads

• Always ride as close as practicable to the far left edge of roads, and allow traffic to overtake you safely

• Cycle in a single file on single-lane roads and during bus lane operational hours

• Switch on the front white and rear red lights in the dark

• Always use bicycle lanes when available, and do not use any other part of the roadway

• Do not use mobile communication devices while riding

• Do not cycle on expressways, road tunnels and selected viaducts

TP also emphasised that they will continue to conduct enforcement operations against errant cyclists and will not hesitate to take action against them.

Top image via Mothership