Less speed, more taste

Cayte Williams hops on the latest trend in transport - the portable scooter

The coolest accessory this summer is not a bag or a baby - it's a portable scooter. The Zip and the EMX are the latest products from Board Silly, the hip scooter company whose clients include The Prodigy, Jamiroquai, Goldie and the Sultan of Brunei.

The Zip is a streamlined slick of fibre-glass with a detachable seat, so you can stand or sit while dodging traffic. The EMX has standing room only. The Zip folds down into a kind of industrial skateboard you carry around, while the heavier EMX folds and fits easily into a car boot.

"Both scooters are Pedestrian-Assisted Electrical Vehicles, which means you don't need a number plate, helmet, licence, road tax or MOT," explains Board Silly co-owner Jago Anderson.

Both of the scooters run on rechargeable batteries. A cord and plug uncoils from the handle-bars which you plug into a wall socket. "The Zip goes up to 20 mph, the EMX up to 30mph and they both last for up to four hours before re-charging," says Anderson.

As well as the trendy, the scooters are a hit with pensioners. "There's this ex- Lancaster Bomber," says Anderson. "He stopped riding bicycles when his arthritis set in and now whizzes into town on his Zip."

The Zip costs pounds 650, the EMX pounds 1,995, both available in white, yellow, blue, red, black and green from Board Silly, 0171 352 6456.