Police seize hundreds of “death trap” e-bikes used to mount pavements and run red lights
In the past year, police forces across the UK have confiscated almost 1,000 electric bikes, many of which have been illegally modified
If you’ve ever wondered why your takeaway food arrived so quickly at your front door, there could be a simple answer – the delivery rider used a dangerously modified e-bike.
A Freedom of Information request by PA Media has revealed that police forces across the UK have confiscated hundreds of what have been described as “death traps”, of which the “vast majority” are used for deliveries.
Data showed that in the year leading up to August 2024, 27 forces seized a total of 937 electric bikes – a huge leap up from 511 in the preceding 12 months.
Under UK law, electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, must not have a power output exceeding 250 watts (roughly 0.3bhp in car-related terms) and cannot exceed 15.5mph.
However, forces are now regularly confiscating bikes which have been modified to travel a lot faster than the law permits; one, recently seized by the City of London Police, could reach speeds of up to 70mph.
And the process to modify them is becoming increasingly straightforward, with conversion kits widely available online for as little as £300.
Some e-bikes have also been modified to negate the need to use the pedals, transforming them, in the eyes of the law, to something more akin to an electric moped, thus requiring registration and taxation – not to mention a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) course certificate, as a bare minimum.
The huge rise in the number of e-bikes on our roads is continually placing not only drivers in danger, but pedestrians too. The City of London Police’s Acting Sergeant, Chris Hook, remarked that “the heaviest [e-bike] I've seen was in excess of 50kg. That bike [could reach over] 60mph. If that impacts somebody, it's likely to cause either serious injury or, God forbid, death”.
Sergeant Stuart Ford of the City of London Police told the BBC’s Today programme that the “vast majority” of these modified e-bikes were used for deliveries. He said: “They’ll buy a normal bike, and then they’ll buy a kit online of batteries – which are unstable in a lot of cases – throttles and rear hub motors that will turn them into mopeds.”
To combat the scourge of what one officer has branded as “death traps”, the City of London Police set up a dedicated Cycle Response Unit in July last year. Chief Superintendent Rob Atkin previously said: “We are addressing a number of complaints from members of the public who have voiced concerns about these vehicles. Some people have told us that they have nearly been hit and have seen riders mount pavements and run through red lights.”
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