Open strollers allowed on public buses from April 2

SINGAPORE — From April 2, commuters will be able to take strollers on board public buses without having to fold them, Second Transport Minister Ng Chee Meng announced in Parliament on Wednesday (March 8).

Currently, open strollers are not permitted on public buses because they can pose a safety risk to the child and other passengers if the driver employs the emergency brakes or swerves the bus suddenly. 

They must be folded for boarding, leaving parents having to carry their children in their arms during commutes.

In a press statement yesterday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that although concerns remain over the safety of children in unfolded strollers, it and public bus operators have “on balance” decided to remove the rule after feedback from parents and caregivers. 

The move is part of the Government’s efforts to create a more accessible, convenient and user-friendly public transport system for all commuters, including families with young children, it added. 

The LTA advised parents and caregivers to adhere to its guidelines on travelling with unfolded strollers on buses, including boarding via the front door where possible. 

They should enter a bus through the rear door only if the strollers cannot pass through the front door or if the front door is obstructed by objects such as railings.

Parents and caregivers should park the unfolded strollers, which generally should not exceed 1,200mm long and 700mm wide, in spaces designated for wheelchairs where available, with the brakes applied. There are no safety restraints for strollers on buses now.

Mr Ng urged parents to pay full attention to their children’s safety, and “hold on tight to the open strollers at all times”.

Where needed, parents and caregivers can seek help from bus captains, who may request that the strollers be folded if the bus is crowded.

In July last year, TODAY reported that the LTA was set to work with institutes of higher learning to develop prototypes of restraint systems for strollers to be secured on buses without folding up these baby carriages, and test them on buses. 

From the second quarter of this year, a prototype will be tested on an unspecified bus.

The LTA added that it would “reach out to parents, caregivers, commuters and other stakeholders to seek their feedback and fine-tune the guidelines if necessary”.