PARK-GOERS are territorial when it comes to footpaths. To them, it is their turf and in-line skaters and cyclists should keep off them.

But what about police cars?

Such vehicles have been patrolling along the East Coast Park footpaths and members of the public are questioning the need for it.

Private school tutor Y. Chong, who was having a picnic with his family when he saw a police car travelling along the footpath, said: 'I was surprised...Cars shouldn't be allowed there.'

The National Parks Board (NParks) said it allows police vehicles to patrol along the footpaths of certain parks for 'public security' purposes.

The police said its patrol cars travel along footpaths for crime prevention purposes as well as to respond to calls for police assistance.

However, there are guidelines by which police cars must abide in such cases.

Both the police and NParks said police vehicles on the footpath are required to switch on the blinker lights on top.

An NParks spokesman said they should keep to a speed limit of 15kmh - the same limit in many carparks or private residential areas.

Former police officers said they should travel at a 'crawl' if it was a normal patrol, but could speed up in an emergency.

Members of the public, though, were not convinced that police cars need to travel on footpaths to perform their duties.

Bank officer Jan Chiok, 26, who visits the park once a month for in-line skating, said: 'It's better not for any vehicles to be on the path as it's meant for people only.'

Bank analyst Bryan Goh, 28, who frequents the park twice a month, pointed out that pedestrians on the footpath may be listening to music on their earphones and may not even be aware of an approaching vehicle.

A mother of three, Madam Tracy Lee, 46, said: 'Children tend to be engaged in play at the park and they won't notice things around them like a bicycle or a car.'

Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Law and Home Affairs Teo Ho Pin feels it is not advisable for vehicles to travel along footpaths, adding that such paths are not designed to take the weight of vehicles.

Most of the time, the police can gain access to the various parts of the park via the nearest carpark or secondary roads, said Dr Teo.

National Safety Council president Tan Jin Thong suggested that a motorcycle could be used for police patrols instead of a car.

Soon after terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari broke out of detention in February, police officers were seen patrolling several parks on bicycles.

Mr Tan said: 'Motorcycles are smaller, easier to manoeuvre and can respond faster to emergencies or crime than a car.'