The warning comes in the latest neighbourhood watch newsletter for Brookmans Park in which local police officer, Voja Mihailovic, says the law is clear on the issue.

“I’m sure that many of you have seen the vast increase in little motorised scooters - known as go-peds - in the area.

“Just to explain the law to you. A motor vehicle is a ‘mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads’.

“These scooters are mechanically propelled vehicles and by virtue of that, motor vehicles.

“They are not sold by the manufacturers for use on the road. Should the person buying one or using one be found on the road, and this includes private roads, then it is self evident that they intended to use it on a road.

“This means that all of the law applies. Age, driving licence, insurance, test certificate, excise licence, crash helmet and registration.

You as parents therefore need to be aware that you should not be allowing your child to use these on the roads. They are not toys,” he writes.

A number of people have written to this site’s ‘Have Your Say’ section expressing concern about the use of ‘go-peds’. If you want to join the debate you can read the contributions made so far and then click on the form page to have your views published immediately on the site.