SINGAPORE – Tactile pavement tiles at pedestrian crossings across the island will be replaced over the next four years with new tiles that have better durability and are more resistant to skidding and slipping.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), in response to queries, said upgrading works will be carried out in stages across the island and are expected to be completed by 2030.

LTA added that the tactile tiles at the Thomson Road crossing where a former Singapore Airlines flight attendant slipped and fell were installed in June 2025.

“LTA has inspected the tiles at the location and they are unimpaired,” it added.

On June 22, Ms Venecia Ng, 40, slipped and fell on the yellow tactile paving when she was crossing the road. The ground was wet after some rain, and she fractured her ankle.

After surgery on June 30, she appeared to be recovering but later complained of breathlessness. She collapsed in hospital and did not regain consciousness.

She died on July 9, about two weeks after the accident.

Ms Ng joined Thomson Medical Centre during the Covid-19 pandemic to pursue a career in the healthcare sector after leaving the airline. She was crossing the road to get to the hospital building when she slipped on the tactile paving.

LTA said tactile paving was installed at pedestrian crossings since 2010 to guide visually impaired pedestrians. The tiles are in line with international standards for skid resistance, including in wet conditions.

In a letter to the press in 2024, LTA said it was implementing a revised tactile tile layout starting April the same year, in consultation with social service agencies, including the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped and the Guide Dogs Association of the Blind.

The new layout featured a 300mm gap between tactile tiles to reduce the risk of slips in wet weather, while continuing to provide sufficient guidance for visually impaired pedestrians.