E-scooter seizures rise as sellers 'mislead buyers'

Under UK law, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads apart from in certain trial areas

A rising number of e-scooters are being seized by police as buyers fall foul of the law and disreputable sellers.

Electric scooters are an increasingly common sight on the streets, with some selling online for as little as £20.

A BBC investigation found numerous sellers flouting guidelines by failing to mention they are illegal to ride publicly in the UK - a tactic leaving buyers out of pocket and facing police action.

One mum, whose child had a £1,000 scooter seized, is echoing calls from authorities for sellers to be upfront.

Days after Maryjane Holmes, from Darlington, bought the scooter for her daughter it was removed by police.

The 11-year-old rode it to a nearby shop but it was seized on the grounds it was not insured.

Ms Holmes was unaware of current legislation around e-scooters which treats them as motor vehicles, with riders subject to the same rules, offences and penalties as other motorists.

Under UK law, private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, while rental scooters can only be used in 20 areas permitted as part of a national trial.

Those who ride them illegally risk having the vehicle confiscated and could receive a £300 fine, six points on their driving licence and a possible criminal record.

Mobile phone footage captured the moment Ms Holmes' daughter had her scooter seized

Ms Holmes said the seller had not informed her of the law, adding: "I want to warn other people that this can happen.

"We weren't allowed the scooter back and I think we should have had a warning first.

"My daughter was really upset."

The BBC found evidence of several online retailers offering e-scooters to the UK market without mention of current laws.

We also approached a number of sellers offering e-scooters via online marketplaces and asked if they could be used legally on UK roads.

In every case but one, the seller said yes.

A government spokesman said it is illegal for retailers to knowingly mislead buyers, adding: "We have written to them numerous times to ensure they provide customers with accurate information on where e-scooters can be used."

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called for a review of sale regulations to ensure sellers and manufacturers "clearly set out to buyers their legal responsibilities".

'Criminalise children' fear

Figures obtained by the BBC show police forces in north east England are seizing an increasing number of e-scooters.

Data for Cleveland Police and Durham Constabulary show six were seized in 2019, compared to 24 last year.

Northumbria Police said 97 had been seized in the past five years, contributing to a total of 187 across the region, a small proportion of which were seized from children.

Cleveland Police said the force is currently "working through options" to decide on a proportionate response to the illegal riding of e-scooters "so we do not unintentionally criminalise children or young people".

Kevin Salter, Durham Constabulary's roads policing inspector, urged potential buyers to make sure they know the law and how to use them safely.

"While many people might consider an e-scooter to be a fun toy for their child, they often aren't aware of what is required should you purchase one," he added.

'Laws should be simple'

Research suggests e-scooters being sold to the UK market generally do not meet the country's road safety standards for motorised vehicles and, as such, cannot be insured for public use.

The ABI said insurers are concerned about fire risks from lithium batteries and the potential hazard e-scooters can pose.

But manufacturers and users say there is a growing market for the vehicles, which are used widely in other countries.

The founder of Swifty Scooters, which recently launched a road-safe e-scooter, believes current laws should be amended to allow less powerful electric scooters to be governed by similar rules to bicycles.

Jason Iftakhar said: "Having kids being stopped by police is a bit much, unless pedestrians are being put at risk.

"We are one of the last countries in Europe to legalise this type of scooter. The laws should be simple, pragmatic and sensible.

"There will always be outliers where someone is being silly, but generally, a lot of people get a lot of benefit from using e-scooters."