Case Explained: Police and Crime Commissioner calls for legal framework as e-scooter use surges – Legal Perspective

West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner has called on the Government to establish a robust legal framework for e-scooters.

In a formal letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP, John Campion argued that the current state of limbo has created an increasingly difficult environment for officers to manage.

While privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on public highways in the West Mercia force area, their presence has surged. Mr Campion highlighted the sobering human cost of this trend, noting that the region has seen one fatality and 11 serious injuries involving the vehicles over the past five years. The safety concerns extend beyond the riders themselves, with pedestrians also being harmed in collisions.

The Commissioner pointed to a growing link between e-scooters and wider criminality, including their use in drug dealing and the prevalence of modified motors reaching unsafe speeds. Enforcement remains a significant task for local police, who have seized and scrapped 95 e-scooters and e-bikes during the same five-year period. Mr Campion suggested that legalisation, supported by an enforceable framework, is now the only practical way forward.

A primary concern for the PCC is the potential for increased pressure on police resources. He warned that any new legislation must address the operational challenges of “safe pursuit” and the difficulty of identifying riders who do not have registration markers. He also stressed that if pavement riding is to be prohibited, the Government must provide clear guidance on how such a ban can be realistically enforced by officers on the ground.

To ensure public safety, the Commissioner is urging the Department for Transport to collaborate closely with road safety charities and industry experts. He highlighted the need for strict technical standards, age limits, and speed restrictions, drawing on data from various national pilot schemes. Mr Campion also noted that education for young people and a partnership with retailers would be essential to manage the expected rise in e-scooter numbers following any change in the law.

The letter concluded with an offer to provide the policing perspective as new laws are drafted. Mr Campion maintains that while the shift towards legalisation seems inevitable, the focus must remain firmly on protecting both the riders and the wider public from further harm.