The legality of e-scooters in the UK

Picture it. The sun is shining and you’ve got errands to run but you’re short on time. Hop in the car? But urban parking is a pain and an unnecessary expense. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to jump on your very own, super cool, eco-friendly, e-scooter and zip around town?

An e-scooter has two wheels and a small, electric motor. They offer a smart, quick and easy way of getting around and e-scooter sharing schemes have become increasingly popular in towns and cities all over the world. The Coronavirus pandemic actually brought forward the UK trials of e-scooters by a year, following government advice to steer clear of public transport. Since July 2020, rental e-scooter trials have been taking place in several English towns including Stafford, Middlesborough and Cambridge. These trials are part of a £2 billion greener transport plan and we have everything crossed that Edinburgh will become the first Scottish location to experience the wonders of this ultra-modern, innovative mode of transport.

Currently, you can buy an e-scooter and enjoy it on private land all you like (with the landowner’s permission obviously!) but they aren’t legal in public places, unless part of a local scooter sharing scheme. The government are currently reviewing the legislation to allow privately owned e-scooters on public roads and pavements in the UK. We are hoping for the results of this review to be announced by the middle of 2021, when the 12 month trials are over. So, you could be able to ride your Edinburgh Scooter around the city by this time next year!

E-scooters are considered to be Personal Light Electric Vehicles, so your Edinburgh Scooter is liable to all the legal requirements that motor vehicles are subject to. They require MOTs, tax and licensing. They also must not exceed a maximum of 15.5 mph, have a mass of less than 55kg and must only be able to carry one person.

Edinburgh Scooters provides customers with three of the bestselling models of e-scooter from award-winning brand Xiaomi. The Mi Essential, Mi 1S and Mi Pro 2 scooters all comply with the legal specifications as well as have front and rear lights, which not all e-scooters do. In the darkest of times, Edinburgh Scooters will be the safest, most reliable e-scooter retailer.

If you’re caught riding a privately-owned e-scooter in a public space (even in a trial area), you may be fined up to £300 or incur six points on your driving licence if you have one. So keep your snazzy new vehicle at home for now. The e-scooter’s time to shine is on the horizon!

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