Can you ride an e-scooter on the path? UK rules explained
BANNING e-scooters has been called for by drivers and pedestrians alike.
Despite this, their convenience may make them a fixture on our roads - but what are the current rules in the UK?
Is it illegal to ride an e-scooter on the path?
While e-scooters are legally available to purchase, it’s currently against the law to ride privately owned e-scooters in any public place in the UK.
If you use an e-scooter illegally:
- You could face a fine
- You could get penalty points on your licence
- The e-scooter could be impounded
Police have given this warning as to why they are illegal in a public place: “This is because e-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) so they are treated as motor vehicles.
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"As such, if they are used on a road, pavement or public place they are subject to the same legal requirements as any motor vehicle.
“We would also ask anyone using an e-scooter legally — i.e. on private land – to carefully consider their safety before doing so."
In order to drive an e-scooter, you must have the category Q entitlement on your driving licence.
A full or provisional UK licence for categories AM, A or B includes entitlement for category Q. If you have one of these licences, you can use an e-scooter.
Should I ride my e-scooter on the road?
The ban on riding e-scooters in public includes "roads, pavements, parks, town centres or promenades."
However, there are more than 30 areas in the UK — including London, Newcastle, Bristol and Bournemouth — trialling rental schemes.
You may ONLY use a trial e-scooter on the road (except motorways) and in cycle lanes.
You MUST NOT use an e-scooter on the pavement.
Trials are taking place in these areas:
- Bournemouth and Poole
- Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Princes Risborough)
- Cambridge
- Cheshire West and Chester (Chester)
- Derby
- Essex (Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester)
- Gloucestershire (Cheltenham and Gloucester)
- Great Yarmouth
- Liverpool
- London (participating boroughs)
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle
- North and West Northamptonshire (Northampton, Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough)
- North Devon
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Oxfordshire (Oxford)
- Salford
- Solent (Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton)
- Somerset (Taunton, Minehead and Yeovil)
- Tees Valley (Hartlepool and Middlesbrough)
- West Midlands (Birmingham)
- West of England Combined Authority (Bristol and Bath)
- York
Do I have to wear a crash helmet on my e-scooter?
Riders are advised to wear crash helmets when riding e-scooters — but it is not a legal requirement.
Officers have said: “All riders should wear a helmet and younger riders particularly would benefit from additional protective clothing such as knee and elbow pads to minimise injury should you come off.”
