The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner, John Campion, has asked the government for clearer laws on e-scooters to help keep people safe in Telford, Shropshire. In a letter sent on February 19, 2026, he argued that new rules are needed because the current lack of clarity makes it very difficult for officers to manage how these vehicles are used on local streets.
Currently, there are no legal rental trials for e-scooters in Telford, meaning it is against the law to ride any privately owned e-scooter on public roads or pavements. Over the last five years, police in the West Mercia region have seized and scrapped 95 e-scooters and e-bikes that were being used illegally.
Safety is a major concern as one person has died and 11 others have been seriously injured in e-scooter crashes across the region since 2021. According to the West Mercia PCC, some of these scooters are being modified to travel at unsafe speeds and have even been linked to crimes like drug dealing.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has indicated that the government plans to introduce new laws soon to create a permanent national framework for e-scooters. Commissioner Campion is pushing for these rules to include registration markers so the scooters can be identified and clear instructions on where they are allowed to be ridden.
The goal is to move from the current situation where use is largely unregulated to a system that protects pedestrians and commuters. By introducing an enforceable framework, officials hope to reduce the risk of harm to the public while providing a legal way for people to use this type of transport.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
