Did officers push an e-scooter rider into a Bukit Batok drain? Here's what LTA said

Land Transport Authority (LTA) officers have been out on the streets seizing non-compliant e-scooters and warning errant riders since the footpath ban kicked in on Jan 1.

Recently, several Active Mobility Enforcement Officers (AMEOs) were accused of chasing down an e-scooter rider, tackling and pushing him into a drain in Bukit Batok while on their enforcement rounds.

He was only given "a bottle of Dettol" for his bleeding wounds from the fall, the rider's friend, Nicole, wrote on Facebook on March 11, the day of the incident.

She added that her friend was riding a registered e-scooter that complied with LTA's regulations. Her post has since been set to friends-only.

LTA responded to these allegations on March 15, saying that AMEOs were patrolling the area that day when they spotted a man riding an e-scooter on the footpath.

They signalled for him to stop but he sped up to escape from the officers, nearly colliding into an elderly female pedestrian.

While stopping the e-scooter, both rider and officer fell into the drain, suffering light injuries that were attended to at the scene, LTA said.

It also clarified that AMEOs do not earn incentives for catching such offenders, as Nicole had claimed.

LTA has since handed the case over to the police who confirmed that they received a report on the morning of March 11 involving a rash act along Bukit Batok West Ave 6.

A 20-year-old man was arrested in relation to the case and investigations are ongoing.

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The ban of e-scooters on footpaths was announced on Nov 5 last year on grounds of public safety following a string of accidents involving errant e-scooter riders, cyclists and pedestrians.

Under the new regulations, those found guilty of riding an e-scooter on footpaths may face a fine of up to $2,000 and/or a jail term of up to 3 months.

In February, amendments to the Active Mobility Act saw the introduction of measures such as a mandatory theory test for e-scooter and power-assisted bicycle users as well as compulsory device inspections, among others.

These new rules, as well as a ban on all motorised PMDs on footpaths, will take effect from April onwards.

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lamminlee@asiaone.com