SIR: Watch out! What’s that flying up behind you on the pavement, noiselessly? Yes, it’s an e-scooter. A kid’s type scooter but with an electric motor. They’re all the rage. E-scooters travel at up to 15mph, twice that speed if you tweak them.

It’s easy to buy one. Just one catch. It’s illegal to ride it on any public road, cycle lane, track or pavement.

Oh yeah? On two short visits to Winchester town centre I spotted three e-scooters whizzing between pedestrians on public pathways. One ridden by an 11 year old flying round crowded paths by the cathedral.

Don’t get me wrong. Responsible, regulated use of e-scooters is one way of reducing car traffic. Trials of rental scooters have started in selected areas for riders aged 16 or over.

But that doesn’t mean that pedestrians should be harried by e-scooter riders who don’t care about the law.

After all, do you want to find yourself face-down on the pavement wondering what hit you?

John Peters,

Halls Farm Close,

Harestock,

Winchester