I'm not sure when the law changed here (UK); until a few years ago, it was a criminal offence to ride a powered vehicle on the footway, and a different criminal offence to ride an electric scooter on the carriageway (not taxed, not certified for safety). So it was illegaal to ride an electric scooter on public land.

Now local authorities are making deals with Chinese scooter-rental companies, and little scooter parks are popping up on the footway all over town. I nearly got knocked down by a rental e-scooter just yesterday - I was walking on the footway, the scooter zoomed past me with 3" clearance.

I disapprove of local authorities making deals with retailers (advertising hoardings on the footway) and scooter firms to "monetise" space that's supposed to be reserved for pedestrians.