Published 3 September 2026
The Department for Transport’s consultation on modernising the law around powered mobility devices closed on 22 April 2026. More than four months later, the consultation page still carries the line “We are analysing your feedback”, and no outcome document has been published. For the millions of people in the UK who use an electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter, the rules governing where and how they can legally drive them remain the ones written nearly forty years ago.
The consultation opened on 6 January 2026 and was originally set to run for 12 weeks, closing on 31 March. On 28 January the closing date was pushed back to 22 April. When it launched, the press release said a government response would be published “soon after” the consultation ended.
What the review is asking
The consultation covers five broad areas. It asks whether the terminology in law should change, including replacing the term “invalid carriages” with language the Department describes as reflecting “modern attitudes and respect for users”. It asks where powered mobility devices should be allowed to go, on roads, pavements or elsewhere. It asks whether the size, speed and age rules for larger devices should be revised. It asks whether two-person tandem devices should be permitted. And it asks whether other categories of powered transporter should be allowed on public roads and pavements when used by a disabled person or someone with reduced mobility.
The weight question is the one with the sharpest practical edge. The DfT’s own press release notes that some modern wheelchairs used by adults and children now exceed the current maximum legal weight limit, which means that on a strict reading they can only lawfully be used on private land. Nick Goldup, chief executive of Wheelchair Alliance CIC, said in the launch release that many people using wheelchairs over 150kg “have been left feeling anxious and worried about breaking the law”.
Why the wait matters
A consultation left in analysis is not the same as a consultation abandoned, and government responses routinely take months. But the practical position in the meantime is that a wheelchair user whose chair is over the legal weight limit has no clarity about their position, and a scooter user has no updated guidance on pavement use. Isabelle Clement, director of Wheels for Wellbeing, argued at launch that the existing laws “create confusion, restrict market innovation and limit disabled people’s freedom to travel”. That confusion is still in place.
There is a commercial dimension too. Manufacturers designing for the UK market have been waiting since April to find out whether the weight and speed envelope is going to move. Retailers advising customers on what is road legal are working from the same forty-year-old framework they were working from in January.
What users can do now
You can sign up for email alerts directly on the GOV.UK consultation page, which is the fastest way to hear when the outcome lands. In the meantime, the current rules still apply. Class 2 devices are limited to 4mph and are for pavement use, Class 3 devices can do 8mph on the road and must be registered with the DVLA, and neither category requires a driving licence. Nothing in the consultation has changed any of that yet.
If you are buying a scooter now, it is worth being clear about which class you are buying and where you intend to use it, because that decision is unaffected by the review. Our mobility scooters guide covers the class distinction and what it means in practice, and our wheelchairs guide covers powered chair options. For anything smaller, our walking aids guide and mobility aids overview are the place to start.
The consultation documents, including Easy Read, large print, BSL and audio versions, remain available on the GOV.UK consultation page, and the original announcement is on the Department for Transport press release.
Related guides on Review Mobility
- Mobility scooters: classes, rules and buying advice
- Wheelchairs: manual and powered options compared
- Walking aids: choosing the right support
- Mobility aids explained
- Find a mobility company near you
Published 3 September 2026