Speaking at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council, Thames Valley Police chief constable Jason Hogg pointed out it‘s illegal to use privately-owned e-scooters on the road or in public spaces as it’s not possible to get them insured, adding that the force would be moving to enforcement, "very, very quickly".
> E-scooters and the law: When and where are you legally allowed to ride an electric scooter?
Hogg said: "We are going to be prosecuting the parents for no insurance - for use, cause, permit - in January and we will be seizing a lot of these scooters very, very shortly."
The penalty is the same as for driving without insurance: £300 and six points on a driving licence or an unlimited fine and disqualification if the case goes to court.
It is currently illegal to ride a privately-owned e-scooter in a public place in the UK, although it is legal to buy one. The vehicles can however be ridden as part of rental trials that are taking place across the country, which the government recently promised to extend until May 2026.
Elsewhere, Hertfordshire Constabulary released a statement urging people to familiarise themselves with the law around e-scooters.
As there are no trials currently taking place in the county, riding them on public land is illegal anywhere in Hertfordshire.
“Many parents may be unaware of the legislation and will be buying these scooters for their children thinking they are harmless fun," said the force. "However, these vehicles can be very dangerous and many people across the country have been injured as a result of collisions involving e-scooters.
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