Shifnal man fears E-scooters will kill someone after seeing youths tearing through streets
Police have issued a warning over the illegal use of electric scooters after a man from Shifnal said it was only a matter of time until someone is killed.
Following a number of incidents and complaints around the use of E-scooters, West Mercia Police has warned of the illogical legislation currently in place governing their use.
Although they are available to buy, E-scooters are illegal to use on public roads, pavements, cycle lanes and pedestrian-only areas unless part of an approved Government trial.
E-scooters are currently classed as "powered transporters" by the government and fall under the same laws and regulations that apply to all motor vehicles in terms of requiring insurance, tax, MOT, license and registration. There is no system in place to obtain any of these for E-scooters so as this requirement cannot be met their use in public areas is illegal.
As they fall under the same laws as motor vehicles, anyone found using them in public areas also risks having the E-scooter seized, despite the growing pressures to use E-vehicles in reaction to the climate emergency.
Shifnal resident Ken Poole, of The Grove, said he often saw youths tearing through the streets.
He said: "E-scooters cannot be ridden on pavements, yet I often see some young lads here in Shifnal riding past my home, using our street as a short cut – one lad even rides at top speed on the pavement and on the wrong side of the road at times.
"I have also witnessed this lad and one other wheeling them into our local Co-op store on Bradford Street. I feel they may be still at school as they cannot be more than 16 years old.
"I have reported this to the police several times.
"I live in a street where there are pensioners and disabled folk. I feel it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or worse, killed."
Superintendent Mel Crowther, of West Mercia Police, said: “We are aware that national trials for E-scooter use are taking place across the UK, but until these trials are complete and legislation is in place it remains an offence for private E-scooters to be used on public roads.
"As a police force we have to enforce the current legislation that is in place which prohibits their use in public areas.
"It is our job to keep all road users safe so anyone found using an E-scooter on public roads risks having this seized by police."
