Near Miss At Church Lawton Lights Prompts E-Scooter Safety Warning As Dark Nights Draw In

A resident has shared a road-safety warning on social media after describing a near miss between a car and a teenager on an e-scooter at the traffic lights at Church Lawton, known locally as the Lawton lights.

In the post, the resident said a group of teenagers riding from the Alsager direction crossed the road one after another after dark, without lights or helmets and wearing dark clothing.

They said a car turning left out of the junction came close to one of the riders, and credited the driver's quick reaction with avoiding a collision. Nobody was reported to have been hurt.

The resident urged parents to remind children to use lights, wear a helmet and bright clothing, and look before crossing the road.

The warning comes as evenings get darker, with the clocks going back on Sunday 25 October.

The Department for Transport says: "It is against the law to use a privately owned electric scooter on public land."

That covers roads, pavements, cycle lanes and parks. Private e-scooters can only be ridden on private land with the landowner's permission.

Rental e-scooters can be used legally in some government trial areas, but there is no trial in Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme or Cheshire East.

Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership says riding illegally can lead to a £300 fine, penalty points and the scooter being seized.

It adds: "If a child is stopped by the Police, and they suspect a parent or carer has purchased the e-scooter for them and allowed its use on the highway, the parent may be investigated for causing or permitting a traffic offence."

In an alert issued in April, Cheshire Police, which covers Church Lawton and Alsager, warned: "Many e-scooters are silent in operation and can appear suddenly, reducing reaction time and increasing collision risk."

For anyone cycling after dark, the Highway Code says bikes must have white front and red rear lights lit, and recommends reflective clothing or accessories.

Helmets are not a legal requirement, but the Highway Code and the Department for Transport both recommend wearing a correctly fitted one.