Are Electric Scooters Legal?
Electric scooters, or e-scooters, are an up-and-coming mode of transport, but there’s a lot of uncertainty around when and where they can legally be used. With government-backed rental trials taking place across the country, we thought it was a good time to recap the rules as they stand right now.
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.
Where can electric scooters be used?
Currently, 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.
Why are electric scooters currently illegal on roads and pavements?
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 that it’s illegal to use them on pavements, in cycle lanes and in pedestrian-only areas, and 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.
The formulation of a law specifically covering electric scooters has been under discussion for some time. It looks like there may be some developments in this area in the near future, particularly with the rental trials currently taking place.
When will electric scooters become legal on roads and pavements?
Electric scooter rental trials have been underway in a number of areas across the UK since summer 2020. Local councils have been working with rental providers to test the viability of electric scooters as a safe and effective mode of transport.
The trial period has been extended until the end of November 2022 so that the most comprehensive evidence possible can be gathered. The government is then likely to launch another consultation phase before any official changes to the law are proposed.
Private electric scooters are now set to be legalised for use on public roads across the UK, under the upcoming Transport Bill introduced in the Queen's speech on 10th May:
"Her Majesty's government will improve transport across the United Kingdom, delivering safer, cleaner services and enabling more innovation."
In the House of Lords on the 11th of May, 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.”
Whilst this doesn't provide a timeframe for when e-scooters will be legalised, it does mean that over the course of the year ahead, the UK government will look to work through the details of the regulations required to enable the legalisation of e-scooters.
Where can you rent an electric scooter?
As of May 2021, electric scooter rental trials are running in the following areas:
- Bournemouth and Poole
- Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Princes Risborough)
- Cambridge
- Cheshire West and Chester (Chester)
- Copeland (Whitehaven)
- Derby
- Essex (Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Colchester)
- Gloucestershire (Cheltenham and Gloucester)
- Great Yarmouth
- Kent (Canterbury)
- Liverpool
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle
- North and West Northamptonshire (Northampton, Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough)
- North Devon (Barnstaple)
- North Lincolnshire (Scunthorpe)
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Oxfordshire (Oxford)
- Redditch
- Rochdale
- Salford
- Slough
- Solent (Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton)
- Somerset West (Taunton and Minehead)
- South Somerset (Yeovil)
- Staffordshire (Stafford and Newcastle-Under-Lyme)
- Sunderland
- Tees Valley (Hartlepool and Middlesbrough)
- West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry and Sandwell)
- West of England Combined Authority (Bristol and Bath)
- York
You can find an up-to-date list of areas and more information about the rental schemes here.
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 an electric scooter?
Yes, but this will be provided by your electric scooter rental operator.
Here at Halfords, we believe that the safe use of electric scooters has the potential to revolutionise the way we travel. Not only could it address the twin problems of pollution and congestion, but it could also combat the rising cost of living as an affordable way to commute without compromising speed.
To learn more about the laws and regulations surrounding electric scooters, and the government’s current guidance, visit the Department for Transport link below.