Christmas shoppers reminded that e-scooters illegal to use in public

AS the season of gift-giving moves closer, police have moved to remind local people that e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads or paths in the North.

E-scooters appear to be becoming an ever-more popular choice of transport for commuters in towns and village across Tyrone.

However, while use of these cheap and cheerful two-wheeled vehicles is limited to private land by law, many local people believe that police do not enforce the relevant rules strictly enough.

Recently, using social media to remind people of the law governing e-scooter use, local law enforcement said, “Thinking of buying someone an e-scooter for Christmas? Please remember that you can only ride an e-scooter on private land.

“They cannot be used on public roads or pavements. Make sure you are on the right side of the law.”

When the Tyrone Herald asked our readers to tell us what they think about the laws regulating e-scooter use in the North, many complained not that the legislation should be changed, but that police should enforce the existing rules more strictly.

“Police turn a blind eye to it in Omagh,” said one reader, first expressing a sentiment that was to be echoed by readers across the county.

“Towns are full of them, so being illegal is pointless as no-one enforces the law. Saw three separate ones in Strabane on the roads, footpaths and public car parks.”

Reiterating the same point, a reader from the east of the county said, “Cops in Cookstown don’t care.”

Other commenters complained that people were being “allowed to get away with it”, with one claiming she had “seen people on those scooters going by the police station many times”.

Responding to these accusations as related by the Tyrone Herald, the PSNI said, “Currently, it is illegal to use electric scooters on public roads and in public spaces in Northern Ireland. Electric scooters are not defined within law nor are they approved for on-road use. Anyone found using an electric scooter anywhere other than on private property, with the permission of the landowner, should expect to receive a formal warning as a minimum course of action and given the opportunity to walk their scooter home with advice to its further use. Repeat offenders may have their e-scooter seized as an uninsured vehicle and may be issued with fixed penalty notices or reported to the Public Prosecution Service.”

In addition, responding specifically to allegations of a failure to enforce the current laws regulating e-scooter use, they said, “We take all reports made to police seriously. Anyone with concerns about the use of e-scooters can contact police on 101 and we can investigate. A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.”