Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

The law on the use of e-scooters on public roads and pavements

I was tempted to get one of these until I looked at the Laws governing their use, although I don't see much evidence of it being enforced.

From the TFL website:

Electric scooters and powered transporters

It is illegal to use electric scooters (e-scooters) and powered transporters on public roads and pavements in London. This includes cycle routes and pedestrian-only areas.

The Department for Transport decides which vehicles are legal to use, and it is currently illegal to use electric scooters and other powered transporters in most public spaces.

Specifically, the law says that:

On roads, anyone that uses an electric scooter or other powered transporter is committing the offence of driving a motor vehicle with no insurance. You could be liable for a fixed penalty of £300 and six points on your driving licence
On pavements, it is an offence to drive a motor vehicle, and this applies to electric scooters and powered transporters. There are also separate laws that forbid them from footpaths and cycle routes
Electric scooters and powered transporters can be used on private land. However you must have permission from the landowner or occupier

Some of these laws do not apply to mobility scooters or e-bikes (electrically-assisted pedal cycles), which are not treated as motor vehicles.

From the Department of Transport:

The law on using lightweight transport vehicles which transport one...

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Permalink Reply by pamish on August 26, 2019 at 23:23

Yep. No point in buying till this is sorted out. The Met says they are arresting about 100 people a day at the mo, especially since two people have been killed riding them. Presume they also impound the scooters.

It's a shame as they seem an ideal way of getting people out of their cars when it's not raining.

I think they are legal in the Olympic Park for some obscure reason.

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Permalink Reply by Cathie on August 30, 2019 at 12:20

Not particularly obscure - the reason is that Olympic Park is private land so the owner makes the rules - it’s just you wouldn’t expect it to be.

Interesting article on creeping privatisation of public space:

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jul/24/revealed-pseudo-publ...

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on August 30, 2019 at 20:46

Many thanks, Cathie. Either I missed this two years ago, or forgot to download & file it.

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Permalink Reply by Philip on August 27, 2019 at 7:10

It's really a question of getting round to updating legislation. I use an E-bike. They are speed restricted and are treated as bicycle. This could apply to e-scoiters but of course, like hover boards, many are used on pavements.

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Permalink Reply by matt on August 30, 2019 at 9:05

Widely used in Gothenburg. Not like London to be slow on the uptake ...

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Permalink Reply by Mark Base on August 30, 2019 at 13:11

Yep, Malmö too (where I now live).

I bought one, and they're ideal for this city, as it's pretty much all flat, and there's an amazing infrastructure here. The network of cycle lanes is extensive, and it's so easy to get just about anywhere pretty quickly.

Then again, Malmö's not really comparable to London; it's much smaller, with a population of around 300,000.

Another cool thing is that it's foldable, so I take it with me when I get the train to other Swedish cities. I love it.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on August 31, 2019 at 6:54

I really hope they don’t start doing street hire of these things. They do in Paris and outside almost every metro station (and across footpaths) there is at least on e- scooter graveyard

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on August 31, 2019 at 8:28

I wonder if someone has seen a study which draws together the experience and "lessons" of this and such various related schemes?

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/apr/26/story-cities-amsterd...

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Permalink Reply by Nick G-T on August 31, 2019 at 13:07

I spent three days in Paris last weekend and didn't notice these piles. Sure, they are scattered around the pavements but when they were in the way, I would noticed some people and business owners move them to the side of the pavement. I was impressed with the improvement in cycling infrastructure in Paris, spearheaded by the mayor Anne Hidalgo. Some of the Parisians I spoke to were supportive of the changes. I even thought the roads were quieter with less noisy scooters, though it is August.