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Retailers including Amazon, Argos and Currys have been found to advertise e\u2011scooters for use on public roads and paths, despite this being against UK law.<\/b><\/p>\n
An investigation from the Press Association (PA) found major brands and independent sellers were promoting their use on the roads.<\/p>\n
But only rented e-scooters can legally be ridden on roads, cycle paths and in parks in the UK. Privately-owned e-scooters can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission.<\/p>\n
The major outlets changed their advertising after being contacted by PA. They also pointed to guidance on their websites which said customers had to follow local laws.<\/p>\n
But smaller retailers still appear to be promoting e-scooters for commuting or riding in towns and cities.<\/p>\n
PA said an e-scooter for sale on Amazon was recommended for “urban commuting”.<\/p>\n
Amazon said its guidelines stated that e-scooters should not show pictures of riders on roads or pavements and that entries on its website had to state that e-scooters were prohibited from use in public in the UK.<\/p>\n
Argos said it had “updated wording on a search page to replicate what we already include on our product pages to be even more clear for our customers”.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, a sponsored Google search result from Argos was still advertising “Commuter E-scooters & City Ride”, though the company said it had removed it the previous day and may take some time to update on Google.<\/p>\n
Currys said it was reviewing its website “to make sure no product listings suggest e-scooters can be used on public roads or spaces”.<\/p>\n
A description of an e-scooter as a “fun, efficient means of getting around your local area” appears to have been taken down from its UK site, and its pages selling e-scooters have a note explaining the law.<\/p>\n
In 2025, the retailer had an e-scooter advert banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which said in its ruling the ad “omitted significant information about legal limitations” of where to ride e-scooters.<\/p>\n
The ASA advises advertisers to include a prominent statement explaining the law, but says this is not enough if their ads also give the impression e-scooters can be used anywhere. <\/p>\n
Many smaller retailers still had pages online with electric “commuter” scooters for sale. <\/p>\n
One said its e-scooters were “a great way for adults to get around the city, zipping between traffic at speeds of up to 15mph”.<\/p>\n
Another said its products “for commuting” were a “smart choice for daily travel needs”.<\/p>\n
There were no warnings on the sales page that this was not allowed in the UK.<\/p>\n
Riders of regulated rental e-scooters must have a provisional or full driving licence.<\/p>\n
People who break the rules with a private e-scooter can be fined or have points added to their licence.<\/p>\n
According to government estimates, there were 10 deaths and 485 serious injuries in e-scooter collisions in 2025. <\/p>\n
The Department for Transport has said there could be up to 1.2 million privately-owned e-scooters in the UK.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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