Thinking of Buying an E-Scooter?
Dear Surrey resident
Currently, you can buy an e-scooter but you can't ride it on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. Anyone who does is committing an offence. Don't let anyone - especially the seller - tell you otherwise.
The only place a private-owned e-scooter can be used is on private land, with the permission of the landowner.
They are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), and so they're treated as motor vehicles and are subject to all the same legal requirements - MOT, tax, licensing and specific construction. Because they don't always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, they can't be used legally on the roads. If you use a privately-owned e-scooter on any public road, cycle lane or pavement you could get a £300 fixed-penalty notice and, if you have one, six points on your driving licence.
But please note that, starting this summer, the government has allowed local councils to run e-scooter rental trials, where members of the public can pay to hire a scooter. Renters will be required to have a driving licence and will need to be insured, and the scooters are still banned from pavements. These rental rules do NOT apply to privately-owned e-scooters.
Keep safe and well
Martin Stilwell
Surrey Neighbourhood Watch Association
