Electric skateboarders bid to Government for permission on public roads

Fast: Kevin Dobbins and Mat Gunther on e-skateboards, which are illegal on public land despite a surge in popularity
Jeremy Selwyn

Electric skateboards are growing in popularity in London — despite still being illegal to ride on public land.

Enthusiasts say the battery-powered boards are increasingly being used to get to work in the capital as commuters look for greener modes of transport.

This surge in popularity has led to calls for a review of the laws, and the Government is seeking views on electric skateboards — plus scooters and e-bikes — as part of its consultation into “emerging trends that will shape urban mobility”, which ends next month.

One manufacturer, Evolve Skateboards UK, said it has sold thousands of boards to Londoners, and more than 10,000 nationwide, since 2013 — and the company opened a store in Bexley last year to keep up with demand.

Middle-aged riders rediscovering skateboarding make up a growing demographic, Evolve said. One man used his electric board every day to commute 11 miles from his Welling home to an IT job in Canary Wharf.

Electric skateboarders can be seen on London’s streets, pavements and cycle lanes, but two the Standard spoke to said they respect sharing the space with fellow road users and join cyclists at Critical Mass meet-ups whizzing past London landmarks.

E-skateboards are illegal on roads, pavements and in parks, and owners risk being fined if caught by police.

The Department for Transport classes the boards as “powered transporters”, which can legally be used only on private property, but is seeking submissions on them and other “sustainable, active modes of transport” for a Future of Mobility consultation.

Evolve boards have a 26mph top speed and a range of up to 31 miles before they need recharging, dependent on the rider’s weight.

Prices start at about £1,200 for a flexible bamboo deck to about £1,800 for a carbon-fibre model. To move forward, the user grips a handheld bluetooth trigger that has an accelerator, brake and “dead man’s switch”, which is needed for both functions.

The firm’s technical manager, Mat Gunther, 38, said: “On a nice dry day you can breeze into work without looking for a parking space or paying the congestion charge. In the future, we can take more people out of cars to create space on the roads. These are zero-emission, it’s a healthier and greener way of getting around.”

Retail accounts manager Kevin Dobbins, 32, said: “Electric skateboarding is growing massively, so it’s positive the Government is looking into it.”

Scotland Yard said skaters risk a fine, having their board seized and being issued a traffic offence report for careless or inconsiderate driving. A police spokesman said: “The Met enforces road traffic legislation on a regular basis.”

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