TIER is offering private e-scooter owners the chance to trade in their vehicles to be recycled or repurposed, in exchange for ride credit with the company.

First things first, are private e-scooters legal in the UK?

Currently, you can buy one but you can’t ride it on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. Anyone who does is committing an offence. The only place a private e-scooter can be used is on private land, with the permission of the landowner.

At the moment they are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), so they’re treated as motor vehicles and are subject to all the same legal requirements - MOT, tax, licensing etc... So, because they don’t always have visible rear red lights or number plates etc. they can’t be used legally on roads.

TIER is offering private e-scooter owners in York - and anywhere we launch in the country - the chance to trade in their vehicles to be recycled or repurposed, in exchange for ride credit with the company. The scheme is designed to discourage the illegal use of private e-scooters on UK roads, giving private owners the opportunity to enjoy riding e-scooters safely without breaking the law and risking hefty fines.

TIER will offer to collect e-scooters from private owners and take them away to be recycled with a local recycling partner or repurposed through a charity or social enterprise in another TIER territory where private use is legal, depending on the condition of the vehicle. In exchange, they will be given TIER e-scooter ride credit equal to their vehicle’s value, up to £150*, allowing them to use the company’s rental e-scooters dotted around the City of York.

If you want to take advantage of this scheme, complete this online form and one of our team will be in touch.

*The ride credits are valid for the duration of the DfT Trial currently running in York. Ride credits will not be valid following the end of the trial. Riders must be compliant with our standard requirements for renting an e-scooter and must be 18+ years of age and hold a valid drivers licence.