Latest news with #LandTransportAuthority
New Paper
2 days ago
- New Paper
Another 10 motorists caught for illegal ride-hailing services amid enforcement blitz
A week after 22 people were caught for offering illegal ride-hailing services, another 10 motorists have been nabbed for falling afoul of the law, as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) steps up enforcement against those who offer point-to-point transport services without a valid licence. The sting was conducted on July 18 at Changi Airport, where the 10 illegal chauffeurs all had their foreign-registered vehicles impounded. As with the 22 caught offering illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay on July 11, some of the drivers were providing rides across the border with Malaysia without the necessary permits. The operations are ongoing. In June, eight drivers were caught giving illegal rides to Gardens by the Bay and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, in what was the first ever joint operation between LTA and the Singapore Tourism Board. LTA said in a Facebook post on July 19 that it had acted on a tip-off from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association, which gave similar leads to the authorities for previous enforcement operations. LTA said the 10 motorists nabbed on July 18 were caught for providing illegal ride-hailing services within Singapore, as well as to and from Malaysia. "Such illegal services not only pose risks, as they may lack proper insurance, but they also undermine the livelihoods of licensed drivers," it added in a video on its social media pages. LTA warned that the escalation of its enforcement activities against illegal point-to-point services could be disruptive to passengers. But it said it remained committed to protecting their interests as well as those of drivers. To offer taxi or private-hire car services here, a Public Service Vehicle Licence (PSVL) is required. This also applies to drivers of foreign-registered vehicles offering cross-border services between Singapore and Malaysia. Only Singapore- and Malaysia-registered taxis approved by LTA and Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency are authorised to provide cross-border rides today. Besides the PSVL, Malaysia-registered taxis must also have an Asean Public Service Vehicle Permit. Since 2022, 104 drivers have been caught providing illegal cross-border passenger transport services using foreign-registered vehicles. LTA said the penalties for those who have been charged and convicted so far include fines of up to $2,600 and vehicle forfeiture. The maximum penalty for those who provide illegal point-to-point transport services in Singapore is a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months in jail, or both. Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said on July 12 that the authorities will not hesitate to press for heavier fines against illegal private-hire car service providers.
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for Singapore
SINGAPORE - In a first for Singapore, autonomous vehicle (AV) firm WeRide has been given permission to operate a self-driving shuttle bus service in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) without any safety personnel on board. Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) gave the firm the green light after extensive testing and safety assessments of WeRide's remote operations and on-road performance here, said the Guangzhou-based company on July 17. The company said this is also the first time in South-east Asia that AVs have been given permission to operate without an onboard safety officer. Its eight-seater driverless bus, fitted with a suite of cameras and light detection and ranging sensors, has been plying a fixed 12-minute route within the RWS integrated resort since June 2024. The company said it has completed thousands of trips and ferried tens of thousands of passengers without any incident. In January, WeRide was allowed to remove the steering wheel and pedals from the vehicle, but a safety officer was still required to be on board to intervene in case of an emergency. WeRide's chief financial officer and head of international, Jennifer Li, called the removal of the onboard safety officer a "groundbreaking milestone" for the future of mobility in the region. "Deploying the region's first fully driverless robo-bus demonstrates that our vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready to transform public transportation at scale," Li added. LTA deputy chief executive for technology Lam Wee Shann said the authority has been working with WeRide to facilitate autonomous shuttle trials at RWS, pointing to an assessment framework that was revised in November 2024 to drive the safe adoption of more mature AV technologies. WeRide, which has established a dedicated research and development centre in Singapore, has also been trialling its self-driving road sweepers in Jurong Lake Gardens since March. This is after it had earlier deployed similar driverless road sweepers in Marina Coastal Drive and at the Esplanade in November 2024. WeRide's announcement on July 17 comes as Singapore prepares to make a major AV push to strengthen the public transport network. By the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, self-driving shuttles will hit the roads in Punggol as part of plans to ramp up driverless vehicle deployments in the next five years. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told reporters during a visit to Guangzhou in late June that the deployment of the autonomous shuttles here will be done in steps. [[nid:719631]] At the start, these vehicles will not ferry any passengers until residents and road users are more comfortable with them. They will have a safety officer on board and be clearly identifiable by a bright colour. The hope is that the autonomous shuttles can start taking passengers by the end of 2025. The safety officer can then be removed eventually in the third stage of the roll-out, as is the case in places like Guangzhou, where some autonomous bus routes are already being operated remotely. The Straits Times spoke to 27 Punggol residents earlier in July and found a mix of excitement and scepticism about autonomous vehicles. Financial advisor Shariqqi Rizvi, 28, said he was open to the idea, noting that newer residential estates in Punggol East are hard to access as they are served by only one bus route currently. Carole Yeo, 36, however, does not believe that driverless vehicles are safe. She said: "I'd be scared. What if something happens suddenly? I don't quite trust them." This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for Singapore, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - In a first for Singapore, autonomous vehicle (AV) firm WeRide has been given permission to operate a self-driving shuttle bus service in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) without any safety personnel on board. Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) gave the firm the green light after extensive testing and safety assessments of WeRide's remote operations and on-road performance here, said the Guangzhou-based company on July 17. The company said this is also the first time in South-east Asia that AVs have been given permission to operate without an onboard safety officer. Its eight-seater driverless bus, fitted with a suite of cameras and light detection and ranging sensors, has been plying a fixed 12-minute route within the RWS integrated resort since June 2024. The company said it has completed thousands of trips and ferried tens of thousands of passengers without any incident. In January, WeRide was allowed to remove the steering wheel and pedals from the vehicle, but a safety officer was still required to be on board to intervene in case of an emergency. WeRide's chief financial officer and head of international, Jennifer Li, called the removal of the onboard safety officer a "groundbreaking milestone" for the future of mobility in the region. "Deploying the region's first fully driverless robo-bus demonstrates that our vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready to transform public transportation at scale," Li added. LTA deputy chief executive for technology Lam Wee Shann said the authority has been working with WeRide to facilitate autonomous shuttle trials at RWS, pointing to an assessment framework that was revised in November 2024 to drive the safe adoption of more mature AV technologies. WeRide, which has established a dedicated research and development centre in Singapore, has also been trialling its self-driving road sweepers in Jurong Lake Gardens since March. This is after it had earlier deployed similar driverless road sweepers in Marina Coastal Drive and at the Esplanade in November 2024. WeRide's announcement on July 17 comes as Singapore prepares to make a major AV push to strengthen the public transport network. By the start of the fourth quarter of 2025, self-driving shuttles will hit the roads in Punggol as part of plans to ramp up driverless vehicle deployments in the next five years. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told reporters during a visit to Guangzhou in late June that the deployment of the autonomous shuttles here will be done in steps. [[nid:719631]] At the start, these vehicles will not ferry any passengers until residents and road users are more comfortable with them. They will have a safety officer on board and be clearly identifiable by a bright colour. The hope is that the autonomous shuttles can start taking passengers by the end of 2025. The safety officer can then be removed eventually in the third stage of the roll-out, as is the case in places like Guangzhou, where some autonomous bus routes are already being operated remotely. The Straits Times spoke to 27 Punggol residents earlier in July and found a mix of excitement and scepticism about autonomous vehicles. Financial advisor Shariqqi Rizvi, 28, said he was open to the idea, noting that newer residential estates in Punggol East are hard to access as they are served by only one bus route currently. Carole Yeo, 36, however, does not believe that driverless vehicles are safe. She said: "I'd be scared. What if something happens suddenly? I don't quite trust them." This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Expect lane closures on Benjamin Sheares Bridge due to upgrading works: LTA
Find out what's new on ST website and app. There will be no lane closures during major events such as the National Day Parade and Formula 1 Grand Prix. SINGAPORE - Motorists can expect lane closures on Benjamin Sheares Bridge from July 2025 to July 2026 due to replacement of the parapet wall system there. In a Facebook post on July 16, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the wall system, which serves as protection for vehicles and pedestrians, will be replaced to comply with the latest requirements. The upgrading works will be carried out in six stages, with only one lane to be closed during each phase. There will be no lane closures during major events such as the National Day Parade and Formula 1 Grand Prix. Opened in 1981, the 1.8km-long Benjamin Sheares Bridge was named after Singapore's second President. It is Singapore's longest and highest bridge , and spans the mouth of the Singapore River and Marina Bay.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains
The new two-carriage trains replace the older single and two-carriage trains in service. SINGAPORE - Travellers on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT network can look forward to more comfortable and less crowded rides with new two-carriage trains brought into the network. The first two new trains entered service on July 15. When all 25 new two-carriage trains are in use by end-2028, the LRT network will have a 15.8 per cent increase in overall passenger capacity as all the single-carriage trains along with some of the old two-carriage trains are replaced. Initially, the new trains will be used on the Punggol West Loop and Punggol East Loop over two weekends before being introduced into weekday operations towards the end of July, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on July 15. The remaining 23 new two-carriage trains will progressively enter service from the third-quarter of 2025, with the rollout expected to be completed by the end of 2028. The LTA said that this will increase the overall passenger capacity of the line to meet ridership demand. The Sengkang-Punggol LRT network is operated by SBS Transit. The new two-carriage trains can carry around 200 passengers each. This is the same capacity as the two-carriage trains currently in service and twice that of the single-carriage trains on the network today. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years The single-carriage trains will be retired along with half of the existing two-carriage trains. By end-2028, the Sengkang-Punggol LRT network will have an updated fleet of 33 two-carriage trains on the network. This marks a 15.8 per cent increase in total passenger capacity over the existing fleet of 25 single- and 16 two-carriage trains. The new trains, which are made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Mihara, Japan, have several improved features. These include more ergonomically-designed seats, brighter and more energy-efficient LED lighting and new door-closing indicator light strips above the doors, which provide clearer warnings for passengers. Additionally, the air-conditioning system is said to be enhanced to further improve passenger comfort. Compared to the older trains, the new trains also have more grab handles in the carriages, making it more comfortable for standing passengers. In terms of running the new vehicles, the new trains have an onboard touch-screen diagnostic panel, which makes for quicker fault detection during testing and maintenance. The trains also have inter-carriage doors that facilitate safer and quicker passenger evacuation during emergencies. Complementing the fleet development is the expansion of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT depot to improve the overall capacity and reliability of the system. Due to be completed in 2027, the upgrades include enlarging the area to 11.1 hectares from 3.5 hectares, two new reception tracks that will help to speed up the launching of the trains to the network and three additional traction power substations to serve the new trains. Speaking to the media at the launch event of the new trains held at Punggol LRT station, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said that there could be disruption to existing services due to the work on the depot and appeal to residents for their consideration.
