Keep off the roads - and the footpaths - with e-scooters, warn police

Surrey Police have issued a reminder that riding e-scooters on public roads or pavements is against the law - and could carry a hefty fine as well as six points on your driving licence.

Following a rise in the numbers of people using the scooters, a spokesman said it was issuing the statement to "clear the confusion up".

"We are seeing a rise in the use of e-scooters and there can sometimes be a bit of confusion on where they are allowed on the roads and what the rules are," a spokesman said.

"Currently it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on a public road, cycle lane or pavement in the UK.

"UK law states that if you are found to be riding a privately owned e-scooter that is not being used as part of a government trial, you could be handed a £300 fixed-penalty notice and, if you have one, six points on your driving licence."

The government is currently running e-scooter trials across the country: people involved in those trials, whose scooter is rented from certain authorised outlets, are allowed to use them on the road and in cycle lanes, but not on the pavement.