What are the UK rules on using e-scooters on roads?
Will the use of e-scooters revolutionise the way we travel?
Can their use address the twin problems of pollution and congestion, and can they be an affordable way to commute in our towns and cities?
Or…they simply dangerous and require banning?
So, most of us will understand the possible benefits of e-scooters….but the biggest question for us involved with road safety is probably straightforward….are electric scooters legal to ride on roads that the public have access to? And are they safe?
Well, a quick straw poll in the PDT office, which normally results in very considered and knowledgeable responses, on this occasion gave rise to many more questions than I could have expected. These included…do you need a driving licence?, do I need to wear a helmet?, do you need insurance, and could individuals have points on their licence if they break road traffic law?
Well, before I attempt to provide at least a few answers to the questions above, let’s not forget the use of electric scooters is far more common with our friends across the channel. Thousands of electric scooters are used every day in European cities (like Paris, where 15,000 e-scooters are currently available to hire….(I will come back to Paris a little later). Those more knowledgeable than I have commented that the growth of e-scooter popularity in our towns and cities has been severely hampered by the confusing legal status of e-scooters in UK and clearly this viewpoint was shared by my colleagues.
Before I attempt to explain more, I must mention that the information on this page is taken from lordslibrary.parliament.uk, met.police.uk, legislation.gov.uk and gov.uk.
The short answer to my initial question; is to tell you that new e-scooter legislation is on its way, but when is anyone’s guess! There does seem to be two distinct avenues that the government have been looking at…the rental market and privately owned e-scooters. The laws on privately owned scooters can be best summarised by the fact that it’s currently illegal to ride privately-owned electric scooters on public roads or public areas (like parks) without a licence and insurance.
The situation with rental scooters is more developed; There are more than 30 government backed trial scooter rental schemes in operation in England. The trials were launched in July 2020, and have already been extended a number of times. Trudy Harrison MP, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for transport, has recently confirmed they will now be extended to May 2024
The Government has been collecting safety data from the schemes and the data obtained will help shape the potential legalisation of private scooters.
So back to Paris…Parisians have recently voted (2nd April) to rid the streets of the French capital of rental electric scooters, with an overwhelming 90% of votes cast supporting a ban.
Paris was at the forefront when it introduced e-scooters in 2018 as the city sought to an environmentally friendly alternative to cars.
But as the two-wheeled vehicles grew in popularity, especially among young people, so did the number of crashes: in 2022, three people died and 459 were injured whilst using e-scooters. The vote was non-binding, but city authorities have vowed to follow the result.
So, will the UK follow the Paris lead, or will we see the continuation of rental and the legalisation of private e-scooters on our towns and cities?
In the House of Lords on the 11th of May 2022 Baroness Vere (Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Transport) said: “It is our intention that the [Transport] Bill will create a low-speed, zero-emission vehicle category that is independent from the cycle and motor vehicle categories. New powers would allow the Government to decide the vehicles that fall into this new category in future and how they should be regulated to make sure that they are safe to use. We hope that e-scooters will be the first of these vehicles.”
On the 27th of April 2022 the (then) Transport Minister Grant Shapps told the House of Commons Transport Committee that the Government plans to introduce legislation to allow the Government to regulate e-scooters in the 2022-23 parliamentary session. The Government will then be able to regulate e-scooter standards concerning speed, power, lights, and other details.
However, it now seems very unlikely that the legislation will be put before Parliament until after the next General Election, which is set to take place at some time in 2024. Until then, it will remain illegal to use private e-scooters on public roads.
It must also be noted that even if the Government does pass legislation, it would only apply to England. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would be required to introduce new laws in their devolved assemblies.
So where do we stand with the use of e-scooters…
Are electric scooters legal in the UK?
Yes, electric scooters are legal to own in the UK. However, there are lots of restrictions surrounding where they can be used.
So, where can private electric scooters be used?
Currently, private electric scooters can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission. It is effectively illegal to use them on public roads, on pavements, in cycle lanes and in pedestrian-only areas.
Electric scooters are currently classed as ‘powered transporters’ by the government and fall under the same laws and regulations that apply to all motor vehicles. This means it would only be legal to use them on public roads if they could meet the same requirements as motor vehicles (e.g., in terms of insurance, tax, license, registration and vehicle construction), which in practice is virtually impossible.
Where can you rent an electric scooter?
Electric scooter rental trials are running in 30 areas across England…please follow the link at the bottom of this article for a list.
Do you need a driver’s license for an electric scooter?
Yes. If you want to rent an electric scooter through one of the schemes mentioned above, then you’ll need to hold a valid full or provisional driving license that includes the ‘Q’ category entitlement. This category can be found on licenses for categories AM, A or B.
Do you need insurance for a rental electric scooter?
Yes, but this will be provided by your electric scooter rental operator.
Where can you use a trial e-scooter?
You may use a trial e-scooter on the road (except motorways) and in cycle lanes. You must not use an e-scooter on the pavement.
Do I need to wear a helmet?
Government guidance states that you should wear a cycle helmet when using an e-scooter. Helmets are therefore recommended but are not a legal requirement.
If you use an e-scooter illegally:
You could face a fine, you could get penalty points on your licence and the e-scooter could be impounded.
For more information and a list of the trial areas please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e-scooter-trials-guidance-for-users#trial-areas