E-SCOOTERS, E-BIKES and OTHER POWERED TRANSPORTERS

E-SCOOTERS, E-BIKES and OTHER POWERED TRANSPORTERS

Hello everybody

We hope you are all enjoying this early good weather. Albeit, it’s very hot patrolling whilst wearing a heavy uniform, it’s still nicer to see some sunshine.

We would just like to remind everybody of the rules regarding e-scooters, associated powered transporters, as their use seems to be a growing trend and electrically assisted bikes:

Under current legislation, personal e-scooters are only to be used on private land with the permission of the land owner. Anyone that rides a privately owned e-scooter on a public road or any other public space including pavements and local parks, is in breach of the law and is committing an offence for which they can be prosecuted. In other words, it’s illegal! The e-scooter could also be seized and crushed.

Other powered transport devices which are covered by the same rules are hoverboards, U-wheels, powered mini scooters (go-peds), powered unicycles and electric motorbikes.

Rental e-scooters can legally be used on public roads (except motorways) and cycle ways, limited to the areas where they are hired from. However, they still should not be used on pavements, playing fields or parks. The rider should hold a provisional or full driving licence and drink and drug driving laws still apply as well as careless and dangerous driving offences. Rental e-scooters must only be used by one person at a time.

Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC/E-bike) An E-bike is in effect a pedal cycle with an electric motor to help propel it. For an E-bike to be “legal” it must comply with the following requirements:

must have pedals that can be used to propel it

can have more than 2 wheels, for example a tricycle

can be propelled up to a maximum of 15.5mph without pedalling (but only if it’s been approved).

a “cut-off” when the E-bike reaches 15.5 mph

Its electric motor:

must have a ‘continuous rated power’ output of no more than 250 watts

must not be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling at more than 15.5 miles per hour (mph)

An E-bike meeting the above criteria is NOT regarded as a motor vehicle.

If the bike is an EAPC then it is classed as a normal pedal cycle and it can be ridden on roads and cycle paths and anywhere else where pedal bikes are allowed.

A person must be aged 14 years or older to ride an E-bike.

We hope this information helps you to understand what can and cannot be used in our public areas.

Stay safe everybody!

Aldershot Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT)

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Message Sent By
Elaine Sgourou
(NPT, PCSO, Aldershot)