Police are urging e scooter riders in West Yorkshire not to put themselves on ‘the road’ to a conviction by using them illegally this festive season.
With Christmas nearing, West Yorkshire Police is reminding e-scooter owners, and those who may receive them as presents, that they are illegal to use on roads and footpaths.
Current legislation stipulates that whilst legal to buy, can only be used on private land (with permission from landowners) and not on public roads, cycle lanes, or pavements.
Under the law they are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEV’s) and therefore treated as motor vehicles.
As e-scooters do not have number plates, signalling ability and rear lights, they cannot be used legally on the roads.
Roads Policing Inspector Claire Patterson of West Yorkshire Police said:
“We are aware of the current popularity of e-scooters, and there is a chance people may receive them as presents or buy them this Christmas.
“I want to remind owners and people giving them as presents that these scooters are not suitable or legal for use on roads or footpaths.
“They do not have the necessary features to make them both suitable and safe for road use and using them on a footpath puts pedestrians at risk.
“The only way that they can be used legally is to use them on private land where the landowner has given permission.”
“Officers will act against riders using them illegally.
“This could be a simple warning and direction to stop using the scooter illegally, having the e scooter seized through to prosecution if users are seen putting the public’s health and welfare at risk.
“We would encourage owners to enjoy the e-scooters safely but to do so legally, both over the festive season and beyond.”
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police
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The penalties are severe!
If you don’t have a licence, or the correct licence, or are riding without insurance you could face a Fixed Penalty notice:
with a £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence for having no insurance
up to £100 fine and three to six penalty points for riding without the correct licence
You could also be committing an offence if you’re caught:
riding on a pavement; Fixed Penalty Notice and possible £50 fine
using a mobile phone or other handheld mobile device while riding; £200 and six penalty points
riding through red lights; Fixed Penalty Notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points
drink driving: the same as if you were driving a car, you could face court imposed fines, a driving ban and possible imprisonment
If you’re using an e-scooter in public in an antisocial manner, you can also risk the e-scooter being seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act.
And in case you’re thinking that its OK because you don’t yet have a licence, the points will sit on your account until you do which means that when you decide to go legal your insurance premiums will be ASTRONOMICAL.
Just a thought, if you want to get about legally and safely, take a CBT and then get an electric moped or scooter. They are faster and safer than e-Scooters, the cost is not that much higher and they are very cheap to run.
Who’s going to enforce the law?
Certainly not the police as it’s too time-consuming in catching them and the resulting paperwork.
Let’s hope all the little darlings run into lamposts, the police might catch them then.
The parents should also be prosecuted for supplying children with illegal “Toys”
A relative of mine works in Leeds 15 and almost every day sees these e scooters used by teenage boys on the main roads and pavements , they are a danger to pedestrians and car/van/ bus drivers etc don’t maker’s of these scooters give advice on where to use them and where NOT to use them?