TEESSIDE is officially the scooter capital of the North.

Scooter sales at the areas biggest retailer are growing by 53 per cent a year, compared with 25 per cent everywhere else outside of London.

The 1 stop Scooter Shop, which has branches in Thornaby, Redcar and Hartlepool, is now Peugeot's biggest dealership in the UK.

Mark Edwards, business managing director, said: "Teesside is fast developing a reputation as the big growth area for scooters outside of London.

"The machines have really caught on here and that's why major manufacturers like Aprilia and Sym are knocking on our door rather than the other way round."

Most Scooters average between 100 and 120 miles per gallon and cost only £15 a year for a road fund licence.

Mr Edwards said: "A lot of people have realised that for the price of their weekly car fuel they can buy and run a scooter to get them back and forwards to work."

The 1 Stop Scooter Shop has recently started selling on the Internet at www.1stopscootershop.co.uk.