E-SCOOTERS are not illegal to have but there are laws you must abide by, says North Wales Police.

North Wales Police confirmed they have received communication around the use of electric scooters and pupils riding them to and from school and on school grounds.

A spokesman said: "While we, the police, fully understand why people would want them and their potential to be an environmentally friendly mode of transport, at the moment, it is against the law to ride an e-scooter in a public place.

"They’re not illegal to have, but you can’t ride it on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. E-scooters can only be used on private land with the permission of the landowner."

E-scooters are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), which means they are treated the exact same as a motor vehicle and subject to the same legal requirements such as:

• MOT

• Licensing

• Tax

• Insurance

E-scooters do not have number plates, signals and don’t always have visible rear light, so they can’t be used legally on the roads.

A police spokesman added: "You may have heard about some areas where they are legal to use. The UK Government is currently taking part in ‘Future Transport Zone’ trials for e-scooter hire, with a view to making them legal to use on road. All local authorities can apply to take part, but at the moment, North Wales are not part of the trails.

"If you are out and about riding an e-scooter, then section 59 of the Police Reform Act allows police to give road users a warning if they are reported to have used their vehicle in a manner which causes alarm, distress or annoyance and North Wales Police also have the powers to seize vehicles - please make sure you keep your e-scooter on private land so this doesn’t happen to you.

"This information is from North Wales Police leaflets and posters. Please keep an eye out for them to make sure you don’t get into trouble for riding an e-scooter in public.

"I hope this clears up some of the information going around out there."