BANGKOK: The death of an elderly Singaporean cyclist after a collision with an electric scooter has renewed the debate around the safety of such devices, which transport analysts say are key to improving urban mobility in Asia’s booming cities.
The death of the woman on Wednesday followed a series of similar accidents in Singapore, which last year unveiled a number of measures to regulate so-called personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as electric bikes and e-scooters.
While such electric devices have become increasingly widespread in many Asian cities, there are few dedicated lanes or regulations, even as authorities try to rein in emission and congestion-causing cars.
“The fact that their usage has grown so rapidly signals that there is a gap in the existing urban transportation network, and PMDs seem to be addressing that,” said Julienne Chen, a researcher at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
“Safety is a critical issue. But with the right set of conditions and infrastructure, it’s likely their usage will grow,” she said, pointing to supportive policies that boosted bicycle use in cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
Globally, electric bicycles and standing scooters have become popular with city residents and tourists alike for short commutes and to connect to public transport networks.
Shared bike and e-scooter schemes have been introduced in cities from New York to Sydney, with mixed results.
As accidents increased, countries including Germany, France and Spain have clamped down, with speed limits and pavement bans for e-scooters.
In Singapore – which has one of the best public transport networks in the world – e-scooters must be registered and the devices must weigh under 20kg, with a top speed of 25 kph on public paths.
But there are no rules in Thailand, where Singapore-based Neuron Mobility has launched several hundreds of its bright orange e-scooters in the northern city of Chiang Mai and in Bangkok, where they jostle for space on narrow pavements.
“People in cities are looking for autonomous, affordable and sustainable options. The more options they have, the more reasons they will have to give up their cars,” said Nate Chanchareon, head of Neuron’s business development.
“Technology can be used to solve mobility issues with app-based shared vehicles, in-built speed limits and safeguards to ensure that riders wear helmets.” — Reuters
The death of the woman on Wednesday followed a series of similar accidents in Singapore, which last year unveiled a number of measures to regulate so-called personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as electric bikes and e-scooters.
While such electric devices have become increasingly widespread in many Asian cities, there are few dedicated lanes or regulations, even as authorities try to rein in emission and congestion-causing cars.
“The fact that their usage has grown so rapidly signals that there is a gap in the existing urban transportation network, and PMDs seem to be addressing that,” said Julienne Chen, a researcher at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
“Safety is a critical issue. But with the right set of conditions and infrastructure, it’s likely their usage will grow,” she said, pointing to supportive policies that boosted bicycle use in cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
Globally, electric bicycles and standing scooters have become popular with city residents and tourists alike for short commutes and to connect to public transport networks.
Shared bike and e-scooter schemes have been introduced in cities from New York to Sydney, with mixed results.
As accidents increased, countries including Germany, France and Spain have clamped down, with speed limits and pavement bans for e-scooters.
In Singapore – which has one of the best public transport networks in the world – e-scooters must be registered and the devices must weigh under 20kg, with a top speed of 25 kph on public paths.
But there are no rules in Thailand, where Singapore-based Neuron Mobility has launched several hundreds of its bright orange e-scooters in the northern city of Chiang Mai and in Bangkok, where they jostle for space on narrow pavements.
“People in cities are looking for autonomous, affordable and sustainable options. The more options they have, the more reasons they will have to give up their cars,” said Nate Chanchareon, head of Neuron’s business development.
“Technology can be used to solve mobility issues with app-based shared vehicles, in-built speed limits and safeguards to ensure that riders wear helmets.” — Reuters
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