Debate: Is it time to decriminalise e-scooters?
Despite their legal status, e-scooters are a common sight on Telford’s streets. While currently banned from public paths and roads, their popularity highlights a growing need for clarity and a re-evaluation of the law.
The everyday reality on Telford’s streets
The simple truth is, despite e-scooters being prohibited from public paths and roads, I can’t recall many days in Telford when I haven’t seen them in use. Some brazenly, some bally’d up. All seem to making good progress toward their destination without looking like they are trying to break the sound barrier.
Strictly speaking, using an e-scooter in public carries consequences, which we’ll explore later. As it stands, unless you’re participating in a recognised e-scooter hire trial (of which there are currently none in Telford), you are breaking the law by riding one in public.
You can readily purchase e-scooters from retailers like Halfords – their sale and purchase are not illegal. However, their legal use is restricted to private land. One can only imagine the knowing smiles and subtle winks exchanged between customer and salesperson during these transactions; both parties are fully aware of the practical reality.
The practical benefits of e-scooters
On a practical level, e-scooters offer fantastic advantages. This simple mode of transport can get you a couple of miles to work or school in a jiffy, for next to nothing. In a town like Telford, where distances between amenities are often slightly greater than in many other towns, we possess an excellent network of off-road, super-safe cycleways. These pathways, once minor issues like tree roots and signage are addressed to make them world-class, would be ideal for e-scooter users.
Venturing to places like Spain, you’ll observe office workers, bar managers, and students effortlessly using e-scooters for their commutes, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.
Local perspectives: Council and MP weigh in
I enquired with Telford & Wrekin Council about whether they had considered or investigated an e-scooter hire scheme. Councillor Ollie Vickers (Lab), Cabinet Member for the Economy, responded: “We understand that transport is evolving and the popularity of zero-emission vehicles such as e-scooters continues to grow.
“The Department for Transport is consulting on trials of rental e-scooters, including regulations, and exploring recommendations around safe speeds, safe vehicle design, and user behaviour, while some local authorities are sharing good practice from the trials.
“Until these trials conclude, privately owned e-scooters are illegal to use on our roads and in other public spaces.”
I interpreted that as a ‘no’, which is a shame. Zipping along from the bus station to a home in Hollinswood, or from Telford Central to the Town Park would seem like a perfect use case for a small-scale trial scheme.
Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, believes it’s time for the Government to take decisive action. He told Telford Live: “E-scooters are becoming a common sight on our streets, even though their use is currently illegal outside of approved trial areas. While trials have taken place across the UK, the law remains unclear, and this uncertainty has gone on for too long.
“It’s time for a long-term solution. When used safely and responsibly, e-scooters can be a valuable part of a greener, more integrated transport system. Legalising their use would allow proper rules to be put in place—helping keep people safe while giving riders clear guidance.
“With regulation, local councils and police could take action against misuse. It’s about finding the right balance: encouraging innovation while protecting everyone on our roads and pavements.”
Enforcement: A light touch in Telford?
While I don’t condone breaking the law, I wanted to understand the rigor with which the police are enforcing e-scooter use in Telford. It’s challenging to gauge the exact impact – we don’t know the market size in Telford, nor the number of ‘quiet words’ officers and PCSOs have had with those who flout the law. However, I did manage to extract some telling statistics from West Mercia Police.
In 2024, just two fines were issued for e-scooter use in Telford and Wrekin. Across the entire West Mercia force area, only nine fines were issued throughout the year. Officers also have the power to seize e-scooters; in 2024, West Mercia confiscated 19 from their owners.
Given this seemingly nonchalant approach from West Mercia Police, it’s fair to say that while your chances of being sanctioned for using an e-scooter are not zero, they are currently very low.
Not all police forces are as relaxed as West Mercia appears. In Cambridge, for example, during one three-day crackdown in May 2025, the BBC reported that 68 e-scooters were seized, some being ridden by children as young as eight years old. This highlights a disparity in enforcement across the UK.
The broader transport landscape
If motorcycles were invented today, it’s highly probable they would face significant regulatory hurdles or even be banned from our roads. Yet, the bigger picture is that motorcycles offer a low-cost means of transport and recreation, despite the increasing difficulty in obtaining a license.
Similarly, pedal cycling remains largely unregulated in the UK beyond basic safety measures concerning roadworthiness and the rather archaic offence of ‘cycling furiously’. One Telford cyclist, Dan Cadden, famously fell foul of this in 2007, being fined £300 in court (though his conviction was later quashed on appeal).
Time for sensible and speedy regulation?
The existing legal ambiguity surrounding e-scooters is unsustainable. Given their practical benefits, the growing public adoption, and the desire for greener transport solutions, isn’t it time to establish clear, sensible standards for e-scooter use in the UK?
Legalising them, with appropriate regulation, would allow for proper safety guidelines, clear enforcement, and enable residents of Telford and beyond to embrace this increasingly popular mode of transport responsibly.
