Teesside bike owner refusing to sell or repair e-bikes and e-scooters
Grant MacIver is urging other businesses to do the same
A bike shop owner in Teesside is urging others to join him in refusing to sell or repair e-bikes and e-scooters.
E-scooters information
Electrical scooters (also known as e-scooters) come under the category of 'powered transporters'. This covers a range of personal transport devices that are powered by a motor.
E-scooters and unregistered e-motorbikes are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means the rules that apply to motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters including the need to have a licence and insurance.
There are two ways of using an e-scooter:
- by privately owning one
- by renting one through an authorised rental scheme
It's not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters. This means it’s illegal to use them on the road or in public spaces, such as parks, street pavements, and shopping centres.
If you use a privately-owned e-scooter in public, you risk the vehicle being seized under S.165 Road Traffic Act 1988 for having no insurance.
If you cause serious harm to another person whilst riding an e-scooter/e-motorbike, the incident will be investigated in the same way it would if you were riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
If you own an e-scooter, you can only use it in on private land, such as in a garden. But you must have the permission of the landowner to do so.
If you breach the rules when using an e-scooter/e-motorbike you could face a fixed penalty notice, the seizure of your e-scooter/e-motorbike and its disposal.
Forces set and enforce penalties differently, so the penalty will vary depending on where the offence is committed.
For example, Devon and Cornwall police will not issue fines, so other forms of penalty will be used if you use an e-scooter in a public place when not part of an approved trial.
For other forces in the UK, the fixed penalty notice could include:
- a £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence for having no insurance
- a £100 fine and three to six penalty points for riding without the correct licence
You could also be committing an offence if you're caught:
- riding on a pavement: fixed penalty notice and possible £50 fine
- using a mobile phone or other handheld mobile device while riding: £200 and six penalty points
- riding through red lights: fixed penalty notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points
- drink driving: the same as if you were driving a car, you could face court imposed fines, a driving ban and possible imprisonment
If you're using an e-scooter/e-motorbike in public in an antisocial manner, you can also risk the e-scooter/e-motorbike being seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act.
E-bikes information
You can ride an electric bike, or an 'electrically assisted pedal cycle' (EAPC), without a license or insurance if you're 14 or over.
An electric bike:
- must have pedals that you can use to propel it
- can have more than two wheels, for example a tricycle
- must have an electric motor that can run continuously at a maximum power of no more than 250 watts
- must have no electrical assistance once you reach 15.5 miles per hour (mph)
If your electric bike fails to meet any of these requirements it needs to be taxed and insured as either a motorcycle or a moped.
If your bike is an EAPC then you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.
You cannot ride it on pavements.
There is more information on what's required to ride your electric bike legally on GOV.UK.