The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2024 (MBSC 2024) will be held on 31 December 2023 through to the early hours of 1 January 2024. The Police are expecting large crowds to join in the festivities around the Marina Bay area.
Safety and Security Arrangements
Police officers, auxiliary police officers, and security officers will be deployed to ensure the safety and security of the public, as well as to manage crowds at various locations within the vicinity of Marina Bay during MBSC 2024. Officers from Police Land Divisions, Special Operations Command, Protective Security Command, Public Transport Security Command, Police Coast Guard, Traffic Police, Emergency Response Teams and Aerial Response Team will also be conducting enhanced patrols during this period.
Security personnel may conduct checks on members of the public, including their bags and personal items. Members of the public are advised to cooperate with these personnel to facilitate the checks. The Police would also like to remind the public to remain vigilant and adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Look after your belongings at all times;
- Be cautious when approached by strangers who try to get very close to you;
- Stay close to your friends or move around in groups;
- Be vigilant against molesters and pickpockets;
- Avoid carrying large amounts of cash or wearing excessive jewellery to crowded places;
- Ensure your bag is closed at all times and sling it in front of you;
- Avoid placing your wallet in your back pocket;
- Take note of crowd advisories and comply with instructions from officers and deployed personnel;
- Avoid contact or confrontations with unruly crowds; and
- Approach any Police officer or dial ‘999’ for urgent assistance.
Members of the public are reminded not to engage in activities that may compromise the safety of others. The flying of any unmanned aircraft, including drones, in the vicinity of the MBSC 2024 events is not allowed as it will endanger the safety of others and interfere with the programme. Members of the public are also strongly advised not to cycle in the vicinity of Marina Bay as the area will be congested and the risk of collision with pedestrians is high. The Police will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public nuisance, acts rashly or breaks the law.
To prevent overcrowding, Police officers and auxiliary police officers will regulate the number of people entering The Promontory, One Fullerton / Merlion Park, Esplanade Park, Esplanade Waterfront Promenade, Marina Bay Sands Waterfront Promenade, and other areas within the vicinity of Marina Bay. When the capacities of these areas reach the planned safety thresholds, these areas will be closed to ensure the safety of members of the public. Please refer to the map below for the possible areas of closure.
Members of the public are encouraged to check the Crowd@MarinaBay map, at https://go.gov.sg/crowd-at-marina-bay, to view real-time crowd levels, area closures around the Marina Bay, available transport nodes nearby and movement routes before proceeding to the vicinity of Marina Bay for the festivities. Users will be able to access this platform via their mobile devices from 31 December 2023, 6pm onwards. Please refer to the Annex for the QR Code linking to the Crowd@MarinaBay map.
In addition, certain entrances/exits of MRT stations around the Marina Bay will be closed to regulate crowd flow at the above-mentioned areas. In the event of overcrowding, trains may bypass affected stations, such as Bayfront MRT station, to divert crowds away from these crowded areas. Members of the public are advised to be patient and to follow the instructions of security personnel on duty.
MRT stations including City Hall, Raffles Place and Bayfront MRT stations are expected to be very crowded. Members of the public are encouraged to use other nearby MRT stations such as Esplanade, Promenade, Downtown and Marina Bay MRT stations.
The footways along the Esplanade Bridge and Bayfront Ave are to be used for transit only. Pedestrians are advised not to congregate on these footways.
Traffic Arrangements
To facilitate the event, the following roads and lanes will be closed to all vehicular traffic during the stipulated periods:
Members of the public are advised to take public transport to the Marina Bay as parking spaces in the vicinity are expected to be limited. Vehicles parked in the buildings located within the closed roads may not be able to exit during the period of road closures. Please refer to the road closure map below.
Auxiliary police officers will be stationed at all affected road junctions to regulate traffic and assist motorists. Traffic Advisory Signs and electronic Variable Message Signs will also be put up near the affected roads. Motorists are encouraged to tune in to the radio for the latest traffic updates.
Parking at peripheral roads and stopping of vehicles along ECP (Benjamin Sheares Bridge) to watch the fireworks are strictly prohibited. Enforcement action will be taken against errant motorists, and parked vehicles which cause obstruction will be towed.
Post-Event Dispersal
After the event, the dispersal is likely to be slow due to the large crowds. There will be designated routes out of the Marina Bay, to facilitate safe and orderly dispersal. Signages will be put up to guide members of the public on the route to be taken for dispersal. Crowd flow into the train stations will also be regulated to prevent overcrowding within the stations. You may also be directed to another MRT station nearby to avoid overcrowding at certain MRT stations. We seek your understanding to head to these less-crowded MRT stations and use the inter-connected MRT networks to get to your intended destination. Members of the public are advised to be patient and cooperate with security personnel. We seek the public’s understanding that heavy traffic and delays are to be expected. Public Transport Operators have announced an extension of service to accommodate the year-end festive activities.
While the Police have put in place enhanced security measures, everyone has a role to play in ensuring the safety and security of Singapore.
As we enjoy the festivities, we urge everyone to #StayAlert, #StayUnited and #StayStrong in our fight against crime and terrorism. Anyone with information on suspicious persons or activities can contact the Internal Security Department at 1800-2626-473 or the Police at 999 or SMS to 71999. Members of the public can also download the SGSecure App from Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to provide information to the authorities.
For enquiries on MBSC 2024 programmes and activities, members of the public may call the event hotline at 6950 3263 or visit www.marinabaycountdown.sg. They can also refer to the Marina Bay Singapore Facebook page for timely updates on the crowd situation on New Year’s Eve and plan their routes and activities accordingly.
ANNEX
Information on Crowd@MarinaBay
Scan the QR code or visit the https://go.gov.sg/crowd-at-marina-bay to view real-time crowd levels, area closures around the Marina Bay, available transport nodes nearby and movement routes.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
26 December 2023 @ 10:30 AM