eScooters and the Law: Are Electric Scooters Legal in the UK?

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The problem with e-scooters

What is the current law with electric scooters?

Can you ride a scooter in public places in the UK?

The current law on UK scooters is that you can’t ride them on public roads, parks or pavements. But you can ride them on private land.

Why are e-scooters still in demand?

One of the weird things with e-scooters currently not being allowed outside your private land is that sales are still very high, and increasing.

In a recent report, Halfords said their e-scooter sales were up a whopping 94%. But why is anyone so interested if they’re currently illegal?

  1. They’re so much fun to ride – e-scooters are insanely fun to drive.
  2. They’re very convenient. Hopping on one can get you to your destination quickly and cheaply and won’t require you to find and pay for a parking space when you get there.
  3. They’re kind to the planet – A huge reason the UK government and others around the world are interested in e-scooters for the future is that they’re a brilliant, eco-friendly way to get around compared to the car.

Where is it legal to ride an electric scooter in the United Kingdom?

This might make you think, “what’s the point in buying an electric scooter if you’re not allowed to ride them?!”

You can ride your e-scooter

What happens if you ignore the law and hit the road on your electric scooter?

Why aren’t e-scooters legal to ride on roads in the UK

When did it become illegal to ride an e-scooter outdoors?

How come I see electric scooters on the roads?

While it’s not currently legal to ride an eScooter on a road or pavement in the UK, you might have seen brightly coloured ones bombing around. These are rental scooters which are being trialed through the UK.

These scooters are being trialed in a limited selection of places in the UK, including a lot of larger cities.

Some quick facts about the scooter trial

  • The scooters are being trialed in different areas in the UK.
  • You need a driving license to use them
  • The speed is capped at 15.5km/h
  • You can’t drive them on a motorway

You can read more about the UK’s current e-scooter trials on the gov.uk site here.

 

Will the law on eScooters change?