Humberside Police has launched its Humberside Police e-scooter campaign in the run-up to Christmas, warning parents and guardians that privately owned machines cannot legally be ridden in public. The campaign, called Is it wheely worth it?, is aimed at children, young people and the adults buying gifts for them.
Insp Pete Musgrave, who leads Operation Yellowfin, said: “It's important people understand they are not toys and there are strict laws governing their use.” He said the force wants families to know the rules before buying an e-scooter, because privately owned versions cannot be ridden on public roads or pavements.
Pete Musgrave and Operation Yellowfin
Musgrave said the campaign will run through social media, days of action and school visits. Humberside Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside are also using the campaign to back a crackdown on people using e-scooters on public paths and roads.
The warning is aimed at a familiar buying pattern. Musgrave said e-scooters are becoming an increasingly popular gift for children and young people in the run-up to Christmas, even though the legal position stays the same wherever families might want to use them.
Grimsby in September
The police response follows earlier enforcement. In September, during a day of action in Grimsby, officers seized more than 20 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters.
That action gives the campaign a practical edge: the message is not just about education, but about seizure where the law is broken. The force has tied the Christmas campaign to the same public-space restrictions that applied in Grimsby, including pavements, roads and parks.
Jonathan Evison on A&E injuries
Jonathan Evison said the issue has moved beyond legality into health care. “When it comes to e-scooters, the facts are very simple. They are dangerous and it is illegal to ride them in public places,” he said.
He added: “Injuries from e-scooter use are a growing trend in our A&E departments and, unfortunately, there have been deaths elsewhere in the country.” His comments frame the campaign as a warning to families before an e-scooter is bought, not after an injury happens.
For parents and guardians, the practical rule is straightforward: a privately owned e-scooter cannot lawfully be ridden in public, including on pavements, roads and in parks. The message from Humberside Police is to know the law before the present is bought, because the enforcement message now sits alongside the Christmas gift rush.
