Police warn e-scooter users across Portsmouth they could be breaking the law and could lose vehicles if caught

Hampshire police issued the stern advice today amid a surge of people using e-scooters.

The two-wheeled devices have grown in popularity over lockdown, with more people riding them on paths and roads – including young children and teenagers.

However, Waterlooville police have today said that many riders could be unwittingly breaking the law.

In a post on the force’s Facebook page, Waterlooville police said: ‘We have seen a growing amount of these in Waterlooville and nationally these are becoming an issue.

‘Firstly it's important to understand, most e-scooters sold are in fact ILLEGAL to be used on any public footpath OR road.

‘They should be insured, MoT'd and the user should have a driving licence.

‘If you look at Halfords, Argos etc, they do have a disclaimer in the product description stating this, but on Amazon this is rarely the case.’

E-scooters are illegal if they can potentially do more than 12.5mph or the battery power is more than 350 watts.

Scooters that travel faster than 12.5mph can only be ridden on private land.

Waterlooville police said they were ‘educating’ people now but warned in the future they ‘may seize’ scooters being used illegally.

Those that are seized would ‘never be returned’ to their owners as there would be ‘no way to insure’ the vehicles, police said.

In a warning to parents, the force added: ‘We want to avoid this situation and we are asking all parents who have recently bought these scooters to strongly consider the risk a scooter poses to the rider with no protective equipment and the public, when they do between 15mph and 35mph on a flat road / path and whether you could afford for a scooter to be seized and not returned.’

Earlier this month, police in Fareham gave a warning to three people riding e-scooters in the town.

Writing on Facebook, Fareham police said: ‘To the fourth person who decided they didn’t wish to stop and speak to us, if you are reading this post, be warned…I have a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.…I will find you and I will prosecute you.’

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