Residents call for action over scourge of illegal e-scooters on Doncaster's streets

The electric scooters have become popular across the country in recent months – but it is currently illegal to ride them on public roads.

Upset residents say the scooters are not only being ridden on the the town’s roads but on paths and in public areas too – with a number of people injured in e-scooter crashes across South Yorkshire in recent statistics.

Doncaster police chiefs have said they have the power to seize and destroy the vehicles.

In a Facebook question and answer session, town police chief Inspector Mark Payling was told of several incidents involving e-scooters, including one being ridden the wrong way around a roundabout.

One resident said: “I've noticed a lot of the electric scooters, that are supposed to be illegal, with teenagers and children riding around on them in the Kingsfisher school area in Wheatley.

"They seem to be using them on the road and path. Saw one young lad the other day get to Coventry Grove and went the wrong way round the roundabout on the road.”

Insp Payling replied: “They are illegal and the user could receive a penalty for using it with no licence or insurance. The scooter could well be seized and destroyed with proof of insurance.

Another said: “I've nearly run handful of kids over in Edlington on these. I'm sick of it.”

Another complained about problems in Canterbury Road, Wheatley and said: “A lot of drivers seem to use it as a racing track, we have children on e-scooters, learner motorcycle drivers, off road vehicles as well as boy racers. It has become very dangerous for residents.”

Another added that Lakeside Boulevard and Gliwice Way were also ‘being used as a racetrack.’

Department for Transport figures, published for the first time last October, show five casualties were recorded by South Yorkshire Police as having been involved in accidents with the vehicles in 2020.

Across Britain, police forces recorded 484 casualties resulting from 460 e-scooter incidents during the same period.

The DfT warned many non-fatal casualties may have gone unrecorded nationally because there is no obligation to report such incidents to police forces.

Trials for the use of the vehicles, which are similar to conventional kick scooters but powered by an electric motor and battery, started in July 2020 and are currently active across 31 areas in England.

The Government said ministers had recently written to all major e-scooter retailers reminding them of their responsibility to inform customers of the law when selling e-scooters.

A DfT spokesman added: “Safety will always be our top priority and the trials currently taking place in 31 regions across England are allowing us to better understand the benefits of e-scooters and their impact on public space.

“Evidence from the trials will allow government to consider how best to design future regulations and avoid the issues that other countries have faced.“

Anyone wanting to report incidents can contact police on 101.