MORE than five times as many e-scooters have been seized in the first half of this year compared to all of 2020.
Some 3,002 of the electric two-wheelers were removed from England’s streets in the first six months of 2021.
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That is 515 per cent up on last year’s 582 and dwarfs the 87 seized in 2019.
Police are taking action against illegally loaded gadgets that pose a risk to pedestrians, car drivers, and users. E-scooters have surged in popularity but they are classed as “powered transporters”.
This means that they are legal vehicles as defined by the Road Traffic Act 1988.
They are therefore prohibited from walking on pavements or footpaths. Riders must also have a valid driving license and insurance. Privately owned vehicles are not currently insured.
Anybody who violates the law could have their property seized and face criminal prosecution.
The Met Police is leading the crackdown with officers in the capital seizing more than two-thirds of the country’s total.
According to Freedom of Information requests, 2,070 people were taken from London’s streets between January and June. This is more than the 290 in 2020 or 54 in 2019.
And the Met’s figure for the year has already soared to 2,561 during a busy July and August.
Transport for London offers legal hire scooters for a trial.
Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens said: “The riding of e-scooters, besides those part of the TfL trial, remains illegal and potentially dangerous.
“The Met also continues to assess the role of e-scooters in street crime. We know the concern this causes Londoners.”
Merseyside had the second-highest number of seizures in 2021, with 256.