Joe SkirkowskiWest of England
Getty ImagesE-scooters have seen a big surge in popularity in recent years, but if you got one for Christmas this year, what are the rules around where they can be used?
In the West, legal rental schemes are already operating in Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and Gloucester, and those e-scooters can be ridden on the road.
But these trial schemes might wrongly give the impression that privately owned e-scooters can also be used on the roads.
What does the law say?
Privately owned e-scooters can only legally be used on private land with the landowner’s permission, and using them in public can result in confiscation.
Police can seize e-scooters being used illegally, and riders may receive warnings, fines, penalty points on their current or future driving licences or prosecution.
People wanting to use an e-scooter on the road are advised to stick to legally authorised rental schemes, where they can be hired by anyone with a provisional driving license.
PADo I need a driving licence?
You need a provisional or full driving license to legally rent an e-scooter from a licensed scheme, and this is typically needed to sign up on the provider’s mobile phone app.
The scooter does not need to have learner plates to be rented by someone without a full driving license.
Do I have to wear a helmet?
No, but they are always recommended along with reflective clothing so you can be easily seen by other road users, cyclists and even other scooter users.
There are other safety measures to be aware of, such as not using a mobile phone and only having one person on a rental scooter at a time.
There are more details on the government website.
What do the police say?
Police forces and local authorities have been advising people to be aware of the law if they have received an e-scooter for Christmas.
They are legally classed as “powered transporters” and riding them is illegal on any public highway, bridleway or pathway, even where no legal public rental scheme is in operation.
Police forces have been actively targeting illegally ridden e-scooters over the past year.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that earlier this year, officers seized 13 e-scooters in a single day in one operation in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The county currently has no active rental schemes.
There are also none in Wiltshire, where police said 140 e-scooters had been seized already this winter, and they “will be taking proactive steps to tackle illegal and unsafe use of e-scooters”.
Meanwhile, in Gloucestershire, police have used drones to track and seize dozens of the electric vehicles that would have been difficult for police on the ground to follow.
Could I be prosecuted or fined?
Yes, and more.
“Officers can seize e-scooters being used illegally, and riders may receive warnings, fines, penalty points on a future driving licence or prosecution,” a spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said.
That could affect someone’s ability to get a full driving license before they have even got behind the wheel of a car.
Avon and Somerset Police said that having the e-scooter seized and being reported for traffic offences is a “minimum” someone should expect.
GETTYWhat could happen to my E-scooter?
Once a scooter is seized, it will likely be destroyed, and there is very little chance of being able to recover it from the police.
An average e-scooter costs between £200 and £500, but despite the high price tag, they are not easy to insure.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “You cannot get insurance for e-scooters; this is the power we use to seize them…
“We ask for proof of insurance in order for them to be returned; however, because this is not possible, they are destroyed.
“Some people will try and say they are covered by house insurance, but because you are using it illegally on the highway, that insurance is null and void.”
Police were also keen to add that they do not profit financially from destroying the scooters and that it is done at public expense.
What other concerns are there about E-scooters?
Rental e-scooters are subject to tight regulations to ensure safety, but these criteria are not always met by private vehicles, and some have been modified to reach eye-watering speeds.
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said: “Some e-scooters can travel at high speeds, and when ridden without helmets, training or road awareness, they present a real risk of serious harm to both the rider and others.”
Fire services across the country have also warned about the dangers posed by indoor charging after several serious incidents were linked to lithium-ion batteries used in the devices overheating and bursting into flames.
It is for this reason that many public transport providers, including GWR, have banned them from being taken on their services.
