Calne Police issue warning to e-scooter owners

CALNE Police have stressed the strict rules on using electric scooters following a rise in complaints regarding them.

At the moment e-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), so they're treated as motor vehicles and are subject to all the same legal requirements - MOT, tax, licensing and specific construction.

So, because they don't always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, they can't be used legally on the roads.

The law covering e-bikes - which are battery-assisted pedal cycles - doesn't currently cover e-scooters, but the government wants to regulate them in a similar way in future.

Currently, you can buy one but you can't ride it on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. Anyone who does is committing an offence. The only place an e-scooter can be used is on private land, with the permission of the landowner.

An exception of this rule are the rentable E-Scooters in places such as Bristol or Bath. These are legal due to them requiring a license to be used and they are also insured by the company.