9 accidents each year in Tanah Merah Coast Road between 2020 and 2025 involved cyclists: Sim Ann

SINGAPORE – Every year between 2020 and 2025, there were on average around 20 accidents that resulted in injuries or deaths in Tanah Merah Coast Road.

Of these,

around nine accidents involved cyclists annually,

said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann in Parliament on Feb 12.

She said the primary causes of these accidents included cyclists cycling in a disorderly manner, and both cyclists and motorists failing to keep a proper lookout and not having proper control over their vehicles or mobility devices.

Ms Sim was replying to a question by Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).

The latter had asked how many traffic accidents on the stretch had involved cyclists, and if those accidents were primarily caused by heavy vehicles and road debris.

Ms Sim said the Traffic Police (TP) conduct regular enforcement operations at accident hot spots, including Tanah Merah Coast Road. Both the TP and Land Transport Authority (LTA) also raise awareness of safe and gracious practices on the road.

She said: “For example, TP and LTA work closely with the Singapore Cycling Federation and the People’s Association to engage the cycling community on cycling safety, and disseminate guidelines on safe behaviour for motorists and cyclists.”

Tanah Merah Coast Road has a straight 10km stretch with a dedicated on-road cycling lane from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Changi Ferry Terminal, allowing cyclists to travel uninterrupted. The road has a speed limit of 70kmh.

Several cycling-related accidents have occurred on this stretch over the years.

In 2018, a teenage cyclist

collided with a stationary car

. In 2021, an accident involved a 45-year-old cyclist who slammed into a stationary truck parked in the cycling lane. Both cyclists were taken to Changi General Hospital.

About

650 cyclists were issued summonses

by the police for flouting traffic rules in the last six months of 2025. The offences included not obeying traffic signals and not wearing a helmet when cycling on roads, said the police.

The dangers of cycling in Tanah Merah Coast Road were highlighted by a

Straits Times Forum letter writer

, who wrote on May 19, 2025, that increased construction activity along the stretch increased the risk of cycling accidents there.

Construction for

Changi Airport Terminal 5

is under way in the area, and the mega terminal is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.

In 2026, stiffer penalties were proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to punish lorry owners who do not install speed limiters.

Under these changes, the maximum fine for such offences will be $10,000 for a first offence and $20,000 for a second,

10 times the current penalties

.

Currently, culprits can be fined up to $1,000 for their first offence and up to $2,000 for repeat offences.