READING’S town centre police officers have been out and about reminding e-scooter users of the law.
An update posted by the Thames Valley Police Reading Facebook page updated residents of what the team had been up to.
Posted on Wednesday, May 5, it read: “The town centre team were on cycle and foot patrol in the town centre and down Oxford Road. Numerous stop checks made, drug searches completed, area searching for a suspect, one male sighted and later arrested.”
It added: “Several persons riding E-Scooters informed of the law and lots of the public happy to see us.”
But what is the law on e-scooters?
Can you ride an e-scooter on the road?
E-scooters can only be used on private land with permission from the landowner.
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The vehicles qualify as ‘powered transporters’ and are therefore required to have MOT, tax, licensing and insurance.
As e-scooters can’t currently meet these requirements, riding a privately-owned e-scooter on a public road, or another public place, is a road traffic offence.
What happens if you ride your e-scooter in a public place?
Anyone caught doing this is committing a criminal offence and can be prosecuted.
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Charges can include driving without a valid licence and driving without a licence.
If found guilty, the penalty can be a fine of £300 and up to six points on your driving licence if you have one.
Your e-scooter could also be seized.
What about e-scooters you can hire legally?
In areas where government trials allow you to hire e-scooters for legal use, such as in Milton Keynes, riders must lease the scooters from companies with relevant motor insurance.
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You must also be over 16, hold a full provisional driving licence, drive them on public roads and cycle lanes but not on pavements.
Only one person can use them at any one time.
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