ADVICE - Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles and E-Scooters

Resident

On the lead up to Christmas, parents will be considering purchasing their children extremely expensive E Scooters and E Bikes, not knowing the implications this can have and not knowing what is required. Shops are not likely to properly inform parents of the rules therefore we want to make sure they are fully aware before making these purchases and save parents the pain of buying them and having them seized and crushed.

Private E Scooters (not rental) are not allowed on public highways/footpaths and can only be used on private land. They are considered a Motor Propelled Vehicle (MPV) and require the same documents as a car. Police can seize all private E Scooters if being used on public land and they may not be returned to the owner as the owner would not be able to provide the relevant paperwork to have them released from the recovery company (i.e. insurance). This would result in the scooter being crushed.

E Bikes are a bit of a minefield with certain rules that apply. Some E Bikes are not suitable for public land and can be seized by police if they are considered an MPV. Additionally, any E Bike being used in a dangerous manner can also be seized by police. Riders must be fourteen or over and cannot ride on footpaths.

In the case of a seizure, parents may also face a fine and the rider may face penalties for no insurance which could impact their licence if they plan to start learning to drive soon.

I have attached two times leaflets that cover E Bikes and E Scooters to help parents make an informed choice. Please can you distribute this information to all your parents?