Festive E-Scooter Warning Issued by Humberside Police Amid Christmas Gift Rush

Humberside Police are urging residents to reconsider purchasing e-scooters as Christmas gifts, issuing a stark warning about the devices’ current legal status on UK roads and public spaces.

Inspector Neil Hutchins from the Roads Policing Team (RPT) stated that while the scooters may appear to be an appealing present, buyers face significant legal risks, including fines and the seizure of the device.

Inspector Hutchins emphasised the financial risk involved, stressing the disappointment that follows enforcement action:

"E-scooters that are out there might look like the perfect gift for Christmas. The realities are there's some legal implications to purchasing one for your loved ones.

They're not legal on the roads. They're not legal in public places. And if people are on them in those locations, they can ultimately end up getting warnings. They can get fines. They can have the e-scooters seized.

The last thing we want is for people to be spending good hard earned money on these devices only for them to be taken off at a later stage."

The core of the issue stems from how electrical scooters (or e-scooters) are legally classified in the UK. Humberside Police say that e-scooters fall under the category of 'powered transporters' and are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This designation means that the rules applying to cars and motorcycles—specifically the requirements for a licence and insurance—also apply to e-scooters.

Humberside Police confirm that securing insurance for privately owned e-scooters is not currently possible. As a result, it is illegal to use them on public roads or in public areas, which includes street pavements, parks, and shopping centres. Using a privately-owned device in public risks the vehicle being seized under S.165 Road Traffic Act 1988 due to lack of insurance.

Inspector Hutchins also highlighted the increased danger posed by these devices when used publicly:

"The realities on our roads are that e- scooters do increase the vulnerability of the user, not particularly clear to other road users. They don't comply with road traffic safety protocols. And as a result of that, uh you're more likely to get hit by a vehicle um or potentially use the device on a foot path and then maybe collide with a pedestrian.

And it's for these reasons that there's legal implications to using them in the public areas.

They're fine in private locations. And if you've got a private e-scooter and you want to use it on private land, that's fine with the consent of the land owner, of course.

But in the public domain, I'm afraid they're just not legal. And the police will be out there looking to educate and enforce where necessary in relation to the use of these devices."

Penalties and Enforcement

Breaches of e-scooter rules can lead to a fixed penalty notice. According to Humberside Police advice, penalties for using an e-scooter without proper documentation or in prohibited areas could include a £300 fine and six penalty points for having no insurance, or a £100 fine and three to six points for riding without the correct licence.

Further offences include a possible £50 fine for riding on a pavement, and being caught drink-driving on an e-scooter carries the same severe penalties as driving a car, potentially involving court-imposed fines, a driving ban, and imprisonment. If an e-scooter is used in an antisocial manner in public, it risks being seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act.

The only way a resident can legally use a privately owned e-scooter is on private land, such as a garden, but only with the express permission of the landowner.

Inspector Hutchins confirmed that officers from the Roads Policing Team will be focusing both on educating the public and enforcing the laws relating to these devices where necessary