A million e-scooters on UK roads are illegal to ride

Around one million private e-scooters in the UK cannot legally be ridden in public, legal firm Browne Jacobson has warned.

Riding a privately owned e-scooter on a public road, cycle lane or pavement remains a criminal offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988. The law applies regardless of how carefully the owner rides it.

The only lawful public use is through a government-approved rental scheme, where the operator provides insurance directly. The government launched these rental trials in 2020 and has now extended them to May 2028.

No legislation has changed the position for private owners, and no mainstream insurance product exists to cover their e-scooters.

When an uninsured rider seriously injures someone, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) steps in to compensate the victim. Motor insurers fund the MIB through a levy, which spreads the cost across the premiums of every insured driver in Britain.

The MIB paid out almost £47 million on micromobility claims in 2025 alone. Its total compensation costs have now passed £100 million over the past six years, the firm said.

A study published in August found that e-scooter riders suffer proportionately more head and internal injuries than cyclists or motorcyclists. Browne Jacobson said this makes claims more frequent, more severe and more expensive.

The Department for Transport has admitted that its road casualty statistics cannot separately identify e-scooter deaths and injuries. The firm said this leaves insurers unable to properly price the risk, with UK buyers purchasing around 15,000 new units each year.

The London Fire Brigade attended a record number of e-scooter and e-bike fires in 2025, which killed two people. Browne Jacobson said these fires also affect insurers covering homes and businesses in cities.

The government has committed to creating a new category for low-speed zero emission vehicles. Ministers have also said they are considering a consultation on private e-scooter rules and have publicly called the current position unsustainable.

Browne Jacobson said a promised consultation is not the same as legislation. The firm added that the insurance gap will stay open until a mandatory insurance framework exists.

It called on insurers to review motor and property policy wordings for e-scooter exposure and to track MIB levy trends. The firm also urged the industry to help shape what a workable insurance regime should look like through the coming consultation.

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