E-scooter advice, by our local Police Community Support Officer George Hooley
An electric scooter is powered by a motor, meaning that by law they are often classified as a motor vehicle. Because of this, riders must be aged 16 and over to use an e-scooter and have the correct licence. The government is running trials to explore the positive and negative impacts of e-scooters on public roads, as well as to ascertain where the law should stand on electric scooters moving forward. These scooters are currently limited to a maximum speed of 15.5mph. Rental e-scooters were made legal on British roads from 4th July 2020. The two-wheeled scooters with small, electric motors have grown massively in popularity across many towns and cities.
Users can now hire e-scooters, often using smartphone apps, in a way like city centre bicycle hire schemes. Those looking to use a scooter during these trials must have the category Q entitlement on their driving licence. You cannot currently ride an e-scooter on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement and those who do so are committing an offence. Riders who breach these rules face the prospect of a £300 fixed penalty notice, six points on their driving licence or the scooter could be impounded. Laws currently applicable to e-bikes, which have battery-assisted pedal cycles, do not currently apply to e-scooters.
Should parents choose to send their child school on an electric scooter, they are effectively committing an offence and could have your scooter seized by the police. Patrols at the start and end of school are happening on a regular basis across Taunton, so please think about the law and the safety of your children before purchasing or riding an electric scooter.
Read more here.