Have your say: How safe are e-scooters?

A police chief has become the latest official to criticise e-scooters after ordering his officers to “seize and crush” any found on public land.

Kent police and crime commissioner Matthew Scott has launched a crackdown after a pilot scheme allowing the vehicles ended last November, the Telegraph reported.

He told his force’s crime panel: “The panel knows my view on e-scooters – seize them and crush them because they are not legal on any public land in Kent now that we don’t have the trial down at Canterbury.”

Last month, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) warned of the dangers associated with lithium batteries used in e-scooters and e-bikes after an explosion in a block of flats in Roehampton.

The LFB said in 2023, it had been called to an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days on average.

Earlier this year, Gloucestershire Police confiscated an e-scooter from a woman in Stroud after she was spotted transporting a child.

And this week, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said a flat fire that killed a woman and two young children on Friday is believed to have started accidentally, and the most probable cause was an e-bike that was charging.

So what do you think about e-scooters? Have your say below

Are e-scooters legal in the UK?

E-scooters cannot be used legally on roads, cycle lanes or pavements.

As they do not have a specific law, they are recognised as "powered transporters", meaning they fall under the same regulations as motor vehicles.

But e-scooters are illegal on roads because they don't have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability.

The only e-scooters that can be used on public roads are those hired as part of government-backed trials.

E-scooters may be used on private land with the land owner's permission.

Read more: E-Scooters to be banned from trains and stations due to fire risk

How fast do e-scooters go?

In trials, such as in London, the speed limit of e-scooters is capped at 12.5mph, and they will automatically reduce speed to 8mph in "go-slow" areas.

However, most e-scooters on the market can reach speeds of up to 25mph.

Read more: E-scooter firm blames vandals as it pulls out of Sunderland

How much do e-scooters cost?

Cheaper models can cost about £150, with mid-range e-scooters costing anything from £450 to £700.

The most expensive e-scooters can cost up to £5,000.