It’s pretty clear that sales of electric scooters are on a rapid rise at the moment.
The two-wheeled, motor-powered contraptions provide a tempting alternative to cars and other vehicles for many people, especially city centre commuters, as they’re cheaper to run, easier to park, and will likely only set you back anywhere from just over £100, to more than £1000.
According to Which?, Halfords – the UK’s leading provider of motoring and cycling products and services, which sells a selection of electric scooters from popular brands including Xiaomi and Segway – said it has seen a 184% increase in sales year on year in November 2020 for e-mobility products.
An earlier study by the retailer, which polled 2,000 UK adults, found that 16% of respondents claim to own an electric scooter, and 28% would also consider swapping their car for an e-scooter to “benefit the environment”.
These statistics all point to the demand for e-scooters being there, and that those in the market for one won’t have much trouble sourcing a reputable retailer these days either.
Finding a place to ride your new purchase without breaking the law might be, though.
It seems like every other week or so that a fresh story of someone illegally riding an e-scooter hits the headlines, with many coming up against driving bans, hefty fines, and even jail time in the worst case scenarios.
Just last week, a 34-year-old Bolton man, Kyle Lowthian, was sentenced given 10 months in prison – suspended for two years, during which he will have to participate in a thinking skills programme and three days of rehabilitation activities – after being spotted by police using an e-scooter one year after a driving ban.
Mr Lowthian’s case resembles numerous others occurring right across the UK, but it isn’t the same for all areas of our region.
As part of a 12-month trial introduced at the start of July 2020 to assess whether the devices reduce motor traffic and what impact they have on the safety of users and those around them, a number of rental e-scooter schemes are currently taking place in Greater Manchester – which permits them to be used on certain public roads and settings at a maximum of 15.5mph – but outside of this, some pretty serious rules do apply.
But what are they?
Here’s everything you need to know about e-scooters.
The only place an e-scooter can be used is on private land, with the permission of the landowner.
They cannot be ridden on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement.
Whether you realise it or not, e-scooters are actually classed as motor vehicles, which therefore means that the rules that apply to motor vehicles also apply to e-scooters, including being in possession of a full UK driving license – not an overseas provisional licence, learner permit or equivalent – insurance, and the need to be taxed.
If you’re caught riding an e-scooter without the proper insurance, you could receive an on-the-spot fine of £300 and six penalty points, and when it comes to being without a driving license, you could also be given a Fixed Penalty Notice with an up to £100 fine and three-six penalty points.
Police will also take action against rider behaviour, whether private or rental.
Offences could include:
Riding on the footway – Fixed Penalty Notice and possible £50 fine.
Using a mobile phone – £100 and six penalty points.
Riding through red lights – Fixed Penalty Notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points.
Drink driving offences – As with driving cars; court imposed fines, driving ban and possible imprisonment.
While it’s recommended that you wear a helmet, you are not legally required to do so, and unlike motor vehicles, e-scooters don’t need to have a registration plate.
Where are e-scooter trials currently taking place?
A number of e-scooter trials are currently taking place in towns and cities across the UK, with the devices only permitted to be used within the local area that is hosting the trial, and riders participating in the trials needing a full or provisional car, motorcycle or moped licence, must be aged at least 16, and urged to wear a helmet.
In Greater Manchester, trials began in the boroughs of Salford and Rochdale in February.
30 other towns and cities across the UK have begun trials since July 2020, including the fellow major northern hubs of Cheshire West and Chester, Liverpool, Newcastle, York and more.
Where can I rent an e-scooter in Greater Manchester?
As previously mentioned, e-scooter trials are currently taking place in the Greater Manchester boroughs of Rochdale and Salford, and in both locations, the leading e-scooter company Lime Scooters are responsible for rentals.
You will need to download the Lime Scooter app to use the devices.
Once you have downloaded the app, you can then see where the e-scooters are currently located – shown on the app with a scooter symbol – and also discover locations for parking your scooter when you’re done, shown on the map with a ‘P’ symbol.
All you’ll need to do is follow the instructions on the app to find out how to use and drop off a scooter when you’re done.
Find out more information about e-scooter rentals in Greater Manchester here.
Featured Image – Lime Scooters
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Pep Guardiola hints at when Manchester City fans can expect to see their latest arrival
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given supporters a rough timeline as to when they can expect to see their new signing, or at least their latest arrival, make his first appearance.
The Blues wrapped up the January transfer window with four major signings: their new attacking number seven, Omar Marmoush (who has already bagged a hattrick on his home debut) promising defensive duo, Abdukodir Khusanov and Brazilian Vitor Reis, as well as their ‘mini-Rodri’, Nico Gonzalez.
However, the club has had another late arrival who was technically signed back at the start of last year but who has spent for the last 12 months or so loaned back to his previous parent club, River Plate in Argentina, waiting to make the move over to the Etihad Stadium – and now he’s here in Manchester.
Speaking on his touchdown in 0161, Pep said Claudio Echeverri won’t be thrown into first-team action straight away but did give a rough estimate as to when City fans could expect him to get involved. You can see him discussing the integration plan in his post-match press conference following the Spurs win.
The mention was only brief but there’s still plenty of reason for Man City fans to be excited by the late January signing.
“Yeah, he [Claudio Echeverri] is going to start to train and mainly will be for the end of the season, maybe the [Club] World Cup and as soon as possible [that] he arrives he can adapt quick for the future.”
As mentioned, the 19-year-old Argentinian attacking midfielder from Resistencia officially put pen to paper with CFG back in January 2024 and was quickly dubbed ‘the next Messi’.
Now, although the football world is often quick to jump the gun with these things and he isn’t the first and certainly won’t be last to be slapped with this premature title, he’s done more to back up these claims since then than he has rubbish them.
Starring at the 2025 Under-20 South American Championships, netting six goals in nine games to finish the tournament as the second highest scorer thanks to notable braces against Brazil and Uruguay as the young Argentine’s finished as runners up.
He also notched 48 senior appearances for River Plate thus far, netting four goals and grabbing eight assists in that time, not to mention having already captained his national team at the 2023 Under 17s World Cup, where he scored another five.
Safe to say there’s plenty of talent to be tapped in this lad.
Once again, Echeverri won’t go straight into the senior set-up for a little while yet, barring a major injury crisis, but he’ll be a more than exciting addition to the City Football Academy and for future first-team lineups for years to come.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be included in an FA Cup matchday squad? Nevertheless, you can expect him to not just come of the bench but hopefully show what he can do at the Club World Cup this summer.
City‘s first fixture as reigning champions of the competition will be against Moroccan side Wydad AC on 18 June 2025.
You can watch Echeverri’s first full interview as a Man City player down below:
The new Man City signing is excited to be finally be part of the club 13 months on from agreeing his contract.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
Emily Sergeant -
29th April 2021 
