Size matters.

A commuter was concerned that man on a personal mobility aid (PMA) was taking too much space on the MRT train and could cause an obstruction in case of an emergency.

Stomp contributor Tan shared a photo of the PMA on the East-West Line on June 12 at around 2.30pm.

"I saw this huge PMA with this equally huge guy sitting on it," said the Stomp contributor.

"He don't even bother to park his huge PMA properly."

She felt that such large PMAs should be banned from public transport.

"In the event of an emergency, huge PMAs like this obstruct fast evacuation. They also take up too much space and deprive commuters," said the Stomp contributor.

"MRT staff must be more vigilant and forbid huge PMAs like this to board the train."

According to the Land Transport Authority, PMAs such as mobility scooters for the elderly or people who have difficulty walking are allowed on MRT and LRT trains.

But they should not exceed 120cm in length, 70cm in width and 150cm in height. The total weight of the PMA together with the user should not exceed 300kg.

In a proposal submitted to the Ministry of Transport on Dec 14, 2023, the Active Mobility Advisory Panel said that in recent years, there have been rising concerns that able-bodied people have been misusing PMAs, particularly mobility scooters. These include concerns over dangerous riding, speeding and overly large PMAs.

The 16-member advisory panel recommended that only people who are certified to have walking difficulties or medical needs should be allowed to use mobility scooters and the Government reduce the speed limit of all PMAs from 10kmh to 6kmh, the typical walking speed.

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This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.