Certain vehicles could face tough new restrictions and number plate rules

E-scooters could face tougher restrictions - including compulsory number plates and stricter ownership controls - as mounting public pressure demands enhanced regulation of their presence on Britain's roads. The Labour government is understood to be drafting fresh legislation to tackle escalating complaints from pedestrians, drivers, and safety advocates about the rampant and frequently dangerous deployment of e-scooters.

At present, e-scooters can only be legally operated within approved trial areas or on private land, yet enforcement remains patchy and unlawful usage in public areas has rocketed. The anticipated reforms would represent a significant policy transformation, aligning e-scooter oversight more closely with motor vehicle standards.

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Whitehall sources indicate the upcoming laws will target heavily souped-up scooters - some reaching speeds of up to 70mph - which have become increasingly associated with anti-social conduct and lawbreaking, reports Birmingham Live.

The initiative follows growing public exasperation and safety fears, with demands intensifying for definitive regulations to manage the rapidly expanding e-scooter footprint on Britain's roads and footpaths.

A Government source told GB News: "Successive Conservative Governments dragged their feet while a black market of e-scooters has been allowed to take over our streets.

"E-scooters can be a great way to get around, but they must be properly regulated, safe for pedestrians as well as riders, and we must ensure they cannot clutter up our streets."

The source continued: "This Government will act where the Tories failed to do so - legislating to crack down on illegal use to make our streets safe and accessible for everyone." The government is also considering mandatory training programmes for e-scooter users, akin to those required for car drivers.

Labour's Minister for Crime and Policing, Dame Diana Johnson, commented on tackling anti-social driving: "Anti-social and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks."

She elaborated on new measures to empower police: "By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we're giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities with the swift justice they deserve."

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