A police campaign aimed at improving road safety for those travelling on two wheels is to focus on e-scooter riders.

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The week-long Norfolk initiative from April 11-19 will see officers in marked and unmarked police cars targeting motorcyclists and cyclists as well as e-scooters being ridden illegally.

Owners and riders of privately-owned electric scooters will be warned about the current legislation and fined where there is evidence of anti-social behaviour, other riding offences, persistent use or wider criminality.

Riders could receive a fixed penalty notice for no insurance, with a £300 fine and six penalty points; a fixed penalty notice for no driving licence, and up to £100 fine and three-six penalty points.

Other offences which may result in penalties include riding on the footpath, using a mobile phone, riding through red lights and drink driving.

Chief Inspector Rob Wicks, of county policing command, said: “We have seen a number of incidents across the county where private e-scooters have been ridden in a dangerous manner in various public spaces, including footpaths.

“We know e-scooters are predominantly used by young people and whilst we are not trying to target or criminalise them, we do need them to know that there are aspects to riding an e-scooter that could put them, or the wider public at risk if the e-scooter is being ridden in a dangerous manner.”

While you can legally buy an e-scooter you cannot ride it on any public road, cycle lane or pavement. However, in Norfolk there are currently two e-scooter rental pilot schemes: Beryl in Norwich and Ginger in Great Yarmouth.

While initial figures showed the hire schemes had not led to a large increase in accidents, there have been a number of people hurt including a rider left seriously injured in a crash involving a bus in Norwich earlier this month.

The 2-Wheels campaign will also see motorcyclists and cyclists warned about the dangers of not having the correct skills and protection equipment.

Chief Inspector Jon Chapman, head of the Norfolk and Suffolk roads and armed policing team, said: "Our roads should be a safe space for everyone to use, but those on ‘two wheels’ are typically known as vulnerable users and are at greater risk of coming to harm in a collision, despite only accounting for a relatively small percentage of overall journeys that are made.”