E-scooters being advertised for commuting despite UK road ban
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Image source, Getty ImagesByImran Rahman-JonesTechnology reporterPublished17 minutes agoRetailers including Amazon, Argos and Currys have been found to advertise e‑scooters for use on public roads and paths, despite this being against UK law.
An investigation from the Press Association (PA) found major brands and independent sellers were promoting their use on the roads. But only rented e-scooters can legally be ridden on roads, cycle paths and in parks in the UK. Privately-owned e-scooters can only be used on private land with the landowner's permission.
The major outlets changed their advertising after being contacted by PA. They also pointed to guidance on their websites which said customers had to follow local laws. But smaller retailers still appear to be promoting e-scooters for commuting or riding in towns and cities.
PA said an e-scooter for sale on Amazon was recommended for "urban commuting". Amazon said its guidelines stated that e-scooters should not show pictures of riders on roads or pavements and that entries on its website had to state that e-scooters were prohibited from use in public in the UK. Argos said it had "updated wording on a search page to replicate what we already include on our product pages to be even more clear for our customers".
On Tuesday, a sponsored Google search result from Argos was still advertising "Commuter E-scooters & City Ride", though the company said it had removed it the previous day and may take some time to update on Google.
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