Local Priorities E-Scooters Update

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding E-Scooters, which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey.

I want to pass over quite a unique update this week in relation to work that has been done in Stevenage Town Centre and 9 Yards, specifically to do with illegal e-scooter use. We have had some very successful jobs and a new string to add to our bows to catching offenders.

In the last week, we have seized a total of six e-scooters in Stevenage in relation to moving traffic offences. We have seen a rise in seizures lately in the town; however, this is due to new methods that we have implemented to become far more effective in dealing with traffic related offences and those who may decide to run from police. These methods include the use of police issue pedal cycles and Selecta DNA Spray.

The use of pedal cycles allows us to patrol narrow pathways, rat-runs and other areas which are not accessible via a police car. If people try and make off, we are then at an advantage as we can catch up to offenders easily if they make off on foot, bikes or e-scooters.

Selecta DNA Spray allows us to tag offenders with a unique DNA profile should they make off from police. The DNA stays on the skin and clothes for a month and can be seen under a UV light and no matter how much they try, the suspects cannot wash it off. When the offender is relocated, a swab is then taken from them and sent away to a lab, whereby they confirm the match of the DNA found on the suspect to the officers cannister when deployed at the time of the incident, linking suspects to scenes which otherwise would be missed.

A notable job came from yesterday when I had came across a member of the public riding on an e-scooter. I requested for them to stop, however they started to ride away, evading arrest. I was able to keep up with the offender with the use of the Police issued pedal cycle and had sprayed the offender. As they knew that they had been sprayed, they stopped and were subsequently arrested for failure to stop. The suspect was then reported for the following offences:
• Driving without insurance
• Driving without a licence
• Failure to stop
This suspect along with the five other e-scooter seizures all have been reported for the relevant offences, had their e-scooters seized/crushed and will be appearing at court within the coming months to likely receive points and fines.

These developments in policing have come in due to the amount of failure to stop incidents we have had in relation to both e-scooters and illegal e-bikes. We have already started to see an increase in positive outcomes in relation to these jobs, so if you think of running, the chances of us finding you have just gone up.

Electrical scooters (also known as e-scooters) come under the category of 'powered transporters'. This covers a range of personal transport devices that are powered by a motor.

E-scooters and unregistered e-motorbikes are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means the rules that apply to motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters including the need to have a licence and insurance.

It's not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters. This means it’s illegal to use them on the road or in public spaces, such as parks, street pavements, and shopping centres.

If you use a privately-owned e-scooter in public, you risk the vehicle being seized under S.165 Road Traffic Act 1988 for having no insurance. 

If you cause serious harm to another person whilst riding an e-scooter/e-motorbike, the incident will be investigated in the same way it would if you were riding a motorcycle or driving a car. 

If you own an e-scooter, you can only use it in on private land, such as in a garden. But you must have the permission of the landowner to do so.

You can rent e-scooters in some parts of the UK through e-scooter rental trial but Hertfordshire does not have any such schemes in place.

If you breach the rules when using an e-scooter/e-motorbike you could face a fixed penalty notice, the seizure of your e-scooter/e-motorbike and its disposal.

If you see someone using an e-scooter please report by ringing 101 (999 in an emergency) or through the online reporting portal at Contact us | Hertfordshire Constabulary

Tackling antisocial behaviour such as riding e-scooters can be a complex issue, and one which requires input and action from more than just the police. Local officers simply do not have the resources to be present to deal with all reports of e-scooter riding.