Are Electric Scooters Legal in the UK?

by Colin Oneill on July 05, 2022

Although it is legal to ride an electric scooter on private land with the land owner's permission, it is not yet legal to ride them on public roads, pavements, and cycle lanes. The law has been under discussion for a while. The government is currently running electric scooter rental trials across the UK to examine the legal status of e-scooters, the trial is set to end in March 2022 and it looks like there might be some developments in the very near future.

There have been many technological advancements in electric scooters in recent years, and e-scooters have had a positive effect on the environment.

They are an up-and-coming greener mode of transport and are a great alternative to cars, buses, and trains. There are plenty of health benefits associated with electric scooters, and more people are beginning to realise this. If you are unclear on the current electric scooter rules, this blog post is for you, keep reading to find out more.

Are e-scooters illegal?

Electric scooters are legal to own, buy and sell, and legal to use on private land with the land-owner's permission. However, it is illegal to ride them on public roads and cycle lanes unless they are part of a government trial. It is important to note that it is illegal to ride e-scooters on pavements, even in the areas participating in the rental trials.

Under current UK law, electric scooters fall under the category of 'powered transporters', and so they are treated in the same manner as cars and other motor vehicles. This means they cannot be used on pavements, pedestrian-only areas, or in cycle lanes. In order to ride them on public roads, you would need to meet the same requirements as motor vehicles which is virtually impossible. You would need to have insurance, tax, license, registration etc.

Do you need a license to ride an electric scooter?

Yes. You need a full valid license or a provisional licence with category Q entitlement to ride an electric scooter. Licences with the categories AM, A or B include the Q category. If you have a provisional license, you don't need to display L plates when using an e-scooter. If you have an overseas licence or you want to find out more information, please visit gov.uk.

When will e-scooters be legal to ride on UK pavements and roads?

The Government is running electric scooter trials throughout the UK in more than 30 areas, including Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Bournemouth. They are experimenting with the idea of operating rental schemes. In the trials, you are allowed to ride rental e-scooters on roads (except motorways) and cycle lanes, but they are still banned on pavements. 

London has become the latest UK city to get involved in the e-scooter trials, and the government is hoping they will take off. You can now rent electric scooters in a number of London boroughs, including Westminster and Camden. The London rental trial started in June 2021 and is expected to run to June 2022. Find out more about the London trial on the Transport for London website.

There were suggestions from the House of Commons Transport Committee back in October 2020 that electric scooter laws may change in the near future. But the wave in trials should hopefully see more people take electric scooters out on public roads, pavements and cycle lanes sooner rather than later.

Find out how Easy Riderz can help you.

At Eazy Riderz, we will help you with your needs and queries. Our store is currently situated on Clifton Street, Belfast City. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us and we will be happy to help. You can do so either by phoning, emailing using the contact form on the Contact Us Page. We are also on social media platforms, so you can keep up-to-date with the latest news.

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