Fresh warning over buying children e-scooters this Christmas

Police leaflets are being handed out to parents and young people across Salisbury and South Wiltshire, warning against buying children e-scooters this Christmas.

Despite its use being increasingly seen in public areas, using e-scooters on public roads, pavements and parks is illegal in the UK.

There are exceptions, for example in Bristol and Bath, where trials of rental e-scooters have received Government approval.

Wiltshire Police are urging parents not to give e-scooters for Christmas no matter how much their children say they want one, to avoid getting into a legal nightmare.

Acting Inspector Will Ayres, from Wiltshire's Road Policing Unit said:

"Children will be asking for them on their Christmas list, and we're just trying to explain and give some advice before they come into contact with us.

"They're classed as motor vehicles, therefore you need to have relevant driving licenses, insurance and everything you'd assume you have to have to drive a car or a conventional motorcycle."

There is also concern about the safety of e-scooters, on and off the roads.

Fire incidents from overheated lithium-ion batteries, commonly used to power e-scooters, are on the rise.

Acting Inspector Will Ayres added:

"Some of them can go at 30 or 40 miles per hour and they're almost silent on approach.

"We have noticed an increase in collisions involving pedestrians and e-scooters.

"With the way the roads are at the moment, with some ice and wet roads, they can often fall off and we're finding users are coming to harm as well."