Hampshire has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of e-scooters seized by police, with new figures revealing a surge in illegal or antisocial use across the county.
Data released by Hampshire Constabulary shows that 291 e-scooters have been confiscated over the past three years, with 171 seized in the year to March 2025 alone. That’s more than double the number taken in 2023/24 (73) and a sharp increase on the 47 seized in 2022/23.
The spike comes as frustration over illegal e-scooter use mounts nationwide. A petition to the government calling for tighter regulation now stands at nearly 25,000 signatures.
Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads and pavements, except in areas participating in official rental schemes. Even then, only those with a provisional or full driving licence are permitted to ride. But the law appears to have done little to deter misuse, with data from Personal Injury Claims UK suggesting illegal riding is still widespread—particularly in Hampshire.
Privately owned e-scooters cannot be insured, meaning anyone caught riding one in public risks having it seized under the Road Traffic Act. Police can also confiscate e-scooters used in crime or so-called ‘antisocial’ behaviour. Riders face fines of up to £300 and six penalty points if caught without insurance.
Personal Injury Claims UK, which specialises in road traffic accident cases, gathered data from 29 forces in England and Wales. The results show 5,544 e-scooters have been removed from the streets since 2023. It’s not just the numbers that are up. E-scooters have been consistently linked to serious accidents. Government statistics report 416 people were seriously injured in e-scooter-related collisions last year.
Locally, Hampshire Constabulary figures show that e-scooters were involved in 249 ‘personal injury’ crashes, including 84 incidents so far in 2024/25 where at least one person was hurt. Southampton and Portsmouth saw the highest number of collisions, with 34 and 29 respectively, while Eastleigh and Havant each recorded four. Other areas, including Basingstoke and Deane, Fareham, Gosport, and Rushmoor, also reported multiple incidents.
Police stress that e-scooter riders responsible for collisions face the same legal consequences as drivers, including the risk of being ordered to pay compensation if someone is injured. The government has responded to the growing pressure by launching a second national evaluation of e-scooter trials. A spokesperson said: “A second national evaluation of the e-scooter trials is currently underway, focusing on user and public safety, accessibility impacts and how e-scooters can be safely and effectively integrated into the wider transport network.
“The Government is giving the police stronger powers to stop vehicles being used disruptively, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing illegally owned private e-scooters. This will allow them to deal swiftly with dangerous e-scooters on pavements.”
The message from police is clear: ride responsibly, with the correct license and insurance or risk losing your e-scooter.
