Ministers have issued an update about making changes to legal restrictions on road vehicles. The Government confirmed a date later this year as part of an on-going scheme.
The response came after a written question in Parliament from Labour MP Tahir Ali. He wanted to know what the Government is doing “to raise awareness of the risk of severe injury from using e-scooters” and what discussions there have been about “reducing accidents involving e-scooters”.
The law states that it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on a public road or on the pavement. However, a trial scheme is underway where you can rent one out and ride it in public, from registered rental companies, which are running in certain parts of the UK.
You can ride the rental vehicles on the road and in cycle lanes, but not on the pavement. Health and social care minister, Sharon Hodgson, issued a response from the Government.
Inherent risks
She said: “The Department for Transport continues to assess the safety impacts of e‑scooters through the rental trials and will share these findings in due course. All vehicles carry inherent safety risks, and we have taken a safety‑first approach by running controlled trials before permitting widespread use.”
She also shared some upcoming dates regarding the rental trials. Ms Hodgson said: “The second national evaluation of the trials, due to conclude this summer, will provide an updated casualty rate and further evidence to inform decisions on future regulation.
“The Department of Health and Social Care contributes a public health perspective to this work, including consideration of injury prevention and health impacts.” However, she issued a reminder that the law remains clear: “In the meantime, private e‑scooters remain illegal for use on public roads, and enforcement is a matter for the police.”
Penalties
If you are caught illegally riding an e-scooter, you could be fined and get penalty points on your driving licence. The vehicle can also be seized by the police.
To be able to rent out an e-scooter, you must have a full or provisional UK driving licence. If you have a provisional licence, you do not need to show L plates when you are ride an e-scooter.
The rental company will provide third-party motor insurance while for you while you are riding the vehicle.
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