Letter to the editor: Buying an e-scooter for Christmas?

With Christmas approaching, e-scooters and overpowered e-bikes may seem like attractive gift ideas. But before buying, it is important to understand how few places you can ride them.

Many local shops have stopped selling e-scooters and those that do display notices explaining that, privately owned e-scooters can only be ridden on private land with the permission of the landowner. They cannot legally be ridden on public roads, pavements or cycle paths.

There are also many such two wheelers ,that you can buy online. Some large sellers claim, incorrectly, that they are legal so you are warned.

Since the beginning of November, Sussex Police have stepped up enforcement against the illegal use of e-scooters, e-motos (motorbikes) and e-bikes that have been modified to increase their power or speed. There are no more polite warnings by Sussex Police just confiscation and then crushed

As part of Operation Scramble, police forces in Sussex have already seized hundreds of unregistered electric vehicles amid growing concerns about public safety.

Electric bikes : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs/electrically-assisted-pedal-cycles-eapcs-in-great-britain-information-sheet

Electric scooter rules: https://www.gov.uk/electric-scooter-rules

Paul Humphreys Chichester Close Willingdon