The Active Mobility Advisory Panel's proposal to reduce the speed limit of bikes and e-scooters from 15kmh to 10kmh on public footpaths is appreciated (Most surveyed want lower PMD, bike speed limit; Aug 25).

The panel's view is that this would prevent accidents and reduce the severity of injuries.

Reducing the severity of injuries is not sufficient.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) should introduce measures that would completely eliminate accidents on public footpaths.

It appears that the LTA has not given much thought to the consequences of allowing personal mobility devices (PMDs) on footpaths and allowing them to share the pathways with pedestrians.

Because of the dangers posed by PMDs, pedestrians, especially elderly people, are keeping away from footpaths. They are even afraid to go out for a leisurely walk, as these devices come from all directions.

The only way to make the footpaths safe once again is to ban the use of PMDs on both footpaths and roads.

Users of e-bikes and bicycles should ride on the public roads, and helmets should be made mandatory for them.

For their own safety and the safety of other road users, the riders of e-bikes and bicycles should be made to take up insurance and pay road tax.

Only motorised wheelchair users - riding at a maximum speed of 10kmh and wearing helmets - should be allowed to share footpaths with pedestrians.

This is the only way to free up public footpaths for pedestrians' safety.

Pavithran Vidyadharan