License plates, tests, & insurance tipped for e-scooters
E-scooter riders might soon have to sit a test, display license plates, and insurance under plans from ministers to target “lawless” use. Ministers are working on plans to regulate e-scooters following concerns over their safety as well as their use in crimes.
Work has begun towards tougher measures to crackdown on privately owned e-scooters after a number of crashes as well as a reported rise in e-scooter related crime. The proposed measures may include tests, insurance, license plates, and a minimum age requirement to ride an e-scooter. A maximum speed limit of 12.5mph is also being considered by ministers.
Privately owned e-scooters are already banned on public roads but that has not stopped many from riding them in London and elsewhere in the UK. Police figures report that they were involved in over 20,000 crimes over the three years up to 2024. These include drug crime and robberies.
Some e-scooters have reportedly been illegally modified, allowing them to ride at a higher speed than they were designed for. One e-scooter caught in Merseyside was found to have been modified to be capable of travelling at 62mph.
There have also been serious injuries with some e-scooter riders knocking people over. Campaigners say that unregulated e-scooters pose a danger to blind and disabled people.
The proposals, if they come into effect, would target privately owned e-scooters. Those hired via an app such as Lime would not be affected.
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