8 offenders caught in 3 days as LTA enforces e-scooter ban on footpaths

LTA enforcement officers and auxiliary police officers advising a PMD user on where he can ride his device at the junction near AMK Hub on Jan 2, 2020. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

SINGAPORE - Eight offenders have been caught flouting the e-scooter ban on footpaths in the first three days of a zero tolerance approach in enforcing the rule.

The errant e-scooter users were caught in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Commonwealth, Serangoon, Telok Blangah, West Coast and Woodlands, the Land Transport Authority said in a Facebook post on Friday (Jan 3).

They could be fined up to $2,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.

The footpath ban started on Nov 5 last year, following a series of e-scooter-related accidents. Up till Tuesday, the LTA had been issuing warnings to errant users.

LTA told The Straits Times that two offenders were caught on the first day of enforcement, and six in the second and third day.

The ban confines e-scooters to 440km of cycling paths islandwide, instead of the 5,500km of footpaths riders could use before.

Bicycles and personal mobility aids such as motorised wheelchairs will continue to be allowed on footpaths, cycling paths and park connectors.

The ban is expected to extend to other motorised personal mobility devices in the first quarter of this year, including hoverboards and unicycles.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.