Community Safety Partnership And E-Scooters (Leicestershire Police)

Hello,

We hope you are keeping well and wrapped up nice and warm.

Please take a look at the attached community safety partnership newsletter winter edition. 

Is anyone considering buying an E-Scooter for Christmas, already owning one or considering getting one in the near future?

The UK government is currently taking part in “Future transport zone” trials for E-scooter hire with a view to making them legal to use on roads.

All local authorities can apply to take part, but at the moment, Leicestershire are not part of the trials. 

We understand that buying an e-scooter can be tempting, especially as you can buy them from many popular retailers. However, the current law is clear. You can buy one but you can’t ride it on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. The only place an e-scooter can be used is on private land.

E-scooters are classified as personal light electric vehicles, so they are treated as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements such as MOT, licensing, Tax and insurance.

As e-scooters do not have number plates, signalling ability and do not always have visible rear lights, they cannot be used legally on the roads. 

Section 165 of the road traffic act 1988 provides the power to seize privately owned e-scooters for driving without insurance or a driving licence. 

We hope this clears things up and saves any problems in the near future.

Thank you for taking the time to read and take care.

Did you know you can report crime and incidents using our online portal. Please visit https://www.leics.police.uk/ Click on REPORT .
In an emergency dial 999

Please do not report crime or Incidents via ‘Neighbourhood Link’ as the messages are not always monitored.