E-scooters now road legal in Ireland. Is the UK next?

E-scooters are now road legal in Ireland in a change to the law that will treat them in a similar way to bicycles. In common with e-bikes, riders of e-scooters won't be obliged to have insurance.

The news puts a spotlight on countries where e-scooters remain illegal. The UK is the last major European economy where e-scooters are still banned except on private land. However, the legal status of e-scooters isn't stopping them from being bought in huge numbers.

Nobody knows for certain how many e-scooters have been sold in the UK but Halfords saw its own sales more than double over lockdown and it believes there is huge latent demand.

When the retailer polled 2,000 adults, 33% said they'd consider using an e-scooter for short journeys if they were legal and 28% would consider swapping their car for an e-scooter to benefit the environment.

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E-scooters and UK law

Under current British law, e-scooter riders face a £300 fixed-penalty notice and six points on their driving licence for using them on the road or pavement. The law classifies e-scooters as motor vehicles, but their legal status is further hampered by the fact they don't have a seat, which is currently a requirement of all road going vehicles.

It means that, excluding various trial schemes, you can’t ride an e-scooter on a public road, pavements or cycle lanes. You also have to be 18 or over to use one.

When will e-scooters be legal on UK roads?

Nobody knows, but following recent e-scooter trials, there's likely to be lengthy discussion over whether to make e-scooters legal to use on the road. It seems likely that eventually e-scooters will be classified in the same way as electric bicycles. In other words, legal to use on public roads and cycle lanes and with no requirement for registration or insurance, but limited to a speed of 15.5mph.

There are concerns a surge in e-scooters would discourage walking or cycling. However, it's just as likely drivers would leave cars at home in favour of e-scooters for short trips. Currently, 25 per cent of car trips are under 1 mile, and 71% under 5 miles.

Are e-scooters dangerous?

Department for Transport statistics, Reported Road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2020, reveal there was one death, 128 serious injuries and 355 slight injuries last year. Given nobody knows how many miles were travelled by e-scooter, it's impossible to quantify the risk.

Much faith is put in EVs, but electrifying cars will not address the problems of traffic congestion, road danger, urban sprawl and wasted space for parking. There's no doubt e-scooters have a valuable role to play in coaxing drivers from their cars - the current uncertainty over their future legal status does little more than put that potential on hold.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance, breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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