Police have returned an electric scooter to a teenager with Crohn’s disease after the vehicle's seizure last week.
Bradley Seddon, 17, was riding the Xaiomi M365 Electric Scooter Pro last Monday evening, near his home on Masefield Avenue in Widnes, when a Cheshire Constabulary BMW roads interceptor unit stopped and seized it.
His father Jason Seddon spoke out about the seizure, branding it a “little bit ridiculous” and questioned whether they should be on sale at all and stressed it should be made clear that they can only be used on private land.
Mr Seddon said the police warned that the bike could be seized again if seen in public and the teenager would receive a court summons.
The issue generated a lot of public interest when the ECHO reported on the seizure last week.
Many branded the police’s actions as excessive, while others took the view that the law has to be obeyed – many of whom expressed sympathy with the teenager’s situation.
Mr Seddon said it was a “shame” that teenagers could not use the scooters out and about, and contrasted their relatively low top speed of around 14 miles per hours (mph) with hybrid pedal bikes, which he said can reach 60mph but have more freedom to use under the law.
However now Mr Seddon said he hoped his family’s experience would encourage others to seek the return of their e-scooters.
He said: “I know there’s quite a lot of people in Widnes, Runcorn, Cheshire, who had their scooters seized.
“I only hope they get their scooters back and they have a chance of getting rid of them or whatever.”
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He added: “The matter as far as I’m concerned is now closed.”
