Riding a privately owned e-scooter on public roads or pavements, including cycle lanes, is illegal.
Some places in West Yorkshire do have rentable e-scooters available to hire and they are legal to ride in certain areas. More information will be available from the rental provider.
If you are caught riding illegally, you could face a fine, penalty points, or have your scooter seized.
You can legally buy a private e-scooter, but you can only use it on private roads with the landowner’s permission.
E-scooters are Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs). They are treated as motor vehicles and must follow the same legal rules.
An e-bike in the UK is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor to assist pedalling. To be legally classified as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) and ridden on public roads and cycle paths without a licence, tax, or insurance, the e-bike must meet specific requirements.
An e-bike is legally considered an EAPC in the UK if it adheres to the following criteria:
Electric bikes that do not meet the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) rules, such as having a motor over 250W, a full-speed throttle, or assist beyond 15.5 mph, are classified as mopeds or motorcycles.
To legally use these more powerful models on public roads, riders must comply with motor vehicle laws:
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) has launched a safety drive after lithium-ion battery fires surged 93% since 2022. Testing shows 98% of fake chargers can cause electric shock or start a fire, and incident reviews indicate around 49% of e-bike fires are linked to counterfeit chargers. Both e-bikes and e-scooter use these kinds of batteries. The campaign sets out clear, practical steps for residents to buy safely, charge safely, and dispose of batteries correctly.
