Last week, the BBC aired its usual Panorama segment, this one was titled ‘E-bikes: The battle for our streets’. As a result, there has now been a renewed focus on the role of e-bikes on our shared spaces, and whether they are being properly used on our streets. From the panorama description, it notes that ‘Sales of e-bikes have boomed but, as they are crammed into the same space as pedestrians and other road users, councils and the police are struggling to cope with the e-bike revolution.’[1]
As our towns and cities face high levels of congestion, and we seek a green answer to transportation, e-bikes are often seen as a respectable alternative for some. However, there are concerns that this is in fact, a new obstacle that requires tighter regulation and enforcement.
We covered nuisance vehicles in a golden hour last year, and this covers in part, some concerns on e-bikes. Ultimately however, it is against the law in the UK to ride hoverboards, minibikes, motorised scooters such as GoPeds and e-scooters on both public roads and pavements. [2]
In respect of legislation, it was announced during the respect orders press release, that police will be given stronger powers to seize vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour. This is aimed at allowing the ‘police to deal more swiftly with the scourge of off-road bikes in public parks and dangerous e-scooters on pavements, street racing and cruising’.[3]
This is as it is reported that new owners of electric scooters are now being warned by police ‘not to ride them illegally, after hundreds were seized in south-east England’. There are significant concerns with e-bikes mainly, around safety and nuisance. Some figures from the Department for Transport, show six people were killed in collisions involving e-scooters in 2023, down from 12 in 2022. Total collisions, show there were 1,292 collisions involving these devices in 2024, compared with 1,411 crashes in 2022. [4]
What is happening across the country?
Public spaces across the country are seeing the consequences of ‘nuisance’ off-road bikes. Birmingham city council, for instance, is the latest local authority considering a ban on cycling in pedestrian-only parts of the city centre. A written report to the council, articulates that a rise in food delivery services, and their couriers, travelling around the city at ‘speed and without care for other pedestrians’ has created a ‘dangerous combination’.
Moving up north towards West Yorkshire, specifically, Bradford, there is an increasing concern of ‘DIY’ e-bikes and e-scooters among food couriers. According to the Telegraph and Argus, recent figures form the West Yorkshire Fire Authority show that there have been 90 incidents involving failures in the lithium-ion batteries. The key issue for many, is that many couriers use these e-bikes to deliver food faster. Andrew Shaw, WYFRS Road Safety Lead, said: “It is only a matter of time before something happens.”[5]
Over in the East Midlands, there are increasing concerns from Nottinghamshire Police on e-scooters, as Nottinghamshire Police said December of last year, it had seized over 250 e-scooters in the past three years, after they were ridden illegally in public areas. PC Adam Abid, of the city centre neighbourhood team, states: "E-scooters and e-bikes are a concern for people up and down the country and that includes Nottingham”[6]
Public space Protection Orders
Public Space Protection Orders, or PSPO’s, are often used by local authorities in order to combat this growing nuisance. A PSOP is created by a Council under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 59.
As mentioned previously, Birmingham City Council produced a report on the proposal of a PSPO to account for cycling in pedestrian areas, it was noted that ‘this approval to consult would enable additional evidence to be gathered to establish to be gathered to establish the extent and severity of the anti-social activity within the city centre and to propose an appropriate course of action’
Nearby in the West Midlands, Coventry City Council has been operating a PSPO since 2017 that is having an impact on the behaviour of e-bike riders. This PSPO was reported as being amended in November 2024, following reports of safety concerns. These changes and amendments to the order, mean that Police Officers, and Council and BID Enforcement Officers will issue fines to people who don’t dismount and ride E-bikes, and E-scooters through the City Centre pedestrianised area. [7]
These PSPOs are also found in London, it was reported just before the new year, that a borough-wide PSPO will be implemented across Haringey in the new year. The PSPO lists several prohibitions, of those is ‘riding a bicycle, moped, e-scooter or e-bike on restricted areas such as pavements’. [8]
PSPOs are therefore increasingly seen as an effective tool from legislation that local authorities can utilise to combat the growing concerns many have of the prevalence of e-bikes on our public streets and roads. This use of legislation contrasts to other methods, included signage being implemented to remind cyclists of these bikes to avoid unsafe cycling, as seen in Leeds.[9]
Fire Risks
Aside from the risks generated from unsafe cycling, bolstered in part, due to pressure of income from food delivery services, there is also an increasing risk of fire due to these vehicles. As mentioned previously, there are concerns of illegal modifications, as seen in Bradford, but there are also concerns more generally with the batteries in these Vehicles.
In late November of last year, crews from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) were present at Westfield Stratford shopping centre in east London to inform potential buyers that ‘some chargers or conversion kits may not meet safety standards and could cause fires’.
As the industry for these vehicles keeps expanding, and demand grows, there are concerns over where members of the public purchase components in these vehicles. The LFB stated that it had attended 124 fires caused by e-bikes and 24 caused by 2-scooters in London so far this year. In 2023, the LFB reportedly attended a fire involving an e-bike or e-scooter in London every two days.[10]
Fire risks with these devices were announced as a key focus during the King’s Speech, namely as part of the Product Safety and Metrology Bill.
As announced, the Bill was touted to ensure the UK is able ‘to keep pace with technological advances, such as AI, and address challenges, such as the fire risk associated with e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries’. This Bill has been welcomed by many, including consumer charity, Electrical Safety First (ESF) and the trade association for the UK cycle industry, the Bicycle Association (BA).
Craig Carter, Assistant Commissioner for Protection and Prevention at the London Fire Brigade (LFB), said:
“This is a really welcome step in the drive to reduce the worrying risk of e-bike and e-scooter fires, ultimately by decreasing the chance of customers being exposed to buying unsafe products, such as lithium batteries, chargers, and conversion kits which are dangerous and do not meet UK safety standards.
In London, we have seen a significant number of fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters, which have devastated lives and livelihoods, and last year three people sadly died in the capital as a result of these fires.”
We will continue to keep a keen eye to any relevant insights and developments with e-bikes and e-scooters, and we as always keep an open dialogue on these issues. As such, we invite any stories or accounts of challenges in your organisation with these devices.
Any insights can be sent to:
Harrison Box, Policy Officer
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0026sww/panorama-ebikes-the-battle-for-our-streets
[2] https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/vehicle-nuisance-involving-cars-bikes-and-mopeds/
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-powers-to-clamp-down-on-anti-social-behaviour#:~:text=Meeting%20a%20manifesto%20pledge%20to,caused%20misery%20to%20local%20people.
[4] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c23v5n4p707o
[5] https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24650417.concerns-increased-use-diy-e-bikes-food-couriers/
[6] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx27pe4j59wo
[7] https://www.coventry.gov.uk/news/article/5002/e-bike-cyclists-respond-to-safety-warning
[8] https://haringeycommunitypress.co.uk/2024/12/19/borough-wide-crackdown-on-antisocial-behaviour-agreed-by-haringey-council/
[9] https://news.leeds.gov.uk/news/council-responds-to-complaints-with-new-cycling-signs
