National Action Required Against Illegal E-Bikes, says MCIA
Illegal e-bikes are
becoming a national road safety and enforcement challenge that policing
alone cannot solve, the Motorcycle Industry Association has warned.
The MCIA is calling for
coordinated action from Government, police, regulators and delivery platforms
ahead of the Second Reading of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Bill.
The association says illegally
modified e-bikes, and non-compliant products sold as “e-bikes”, are
increasingly being used on public roads despite being capable of moped or
motorcycle-level performance. These vehicles can operate without licensing,
registration, insurance or safety oversight, creating what the MCIA describes
as a parallel, unregulated mobility market.
For driver and rider trainers,
the issue is significant. Illegal e-bikes are now a growing part of the road
environment, particularly in urban areas, and can present risks to learner drivers,
pedestrians, riders and other road users. Their speed, weight and acceleration
may not match what other road users expect from a pedal cycle, making hazard
perception and early observation increasingly important.
The MCIA says the legal powered
two-wheeler sector is also being affected. Registrations of new L1 mopeds have
fallen by more than 40% since 2022, a decline the association says coincides
with the rapid rise of illegal e-bikes being used as de facto mopeds outside
the proper regulatory framework.
Over recent months, MCIA says
it has engaged with every Chief Constable, Police and Crime Commissioners and
the Policing Minister. It reports that every policing representative it has
spoken to recognises illegal e-bikes as a growing and pressing issue, with many
forces already carrying out seizures and targeted operations.
However, enforcement varies
across the country, reflecting local priorities, resources and operational
frameworks. MCIA says police forces have also raised concerns about the lack of
clear national guidance on identifying, seizing and disposing of illegal
vehicles, which contributes to inconsistent enforcement.
Police feedback suggests
enforcement often focuses on anti-social behaviour because it is highly
visible, while a significant proportion of illegal e-bike use is linked to
gig-economy delivery work. MCIA says riders are often operating under the
branding of major platforms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
Targeted operations have also
uncovered wider criminality, including illegal working, exploitation, weapons
offences and drug offences, underlining the complexity of the issue.
MCIA is calling for national
leadership, particularly from the Home Office, to create a cross-Government
framework that supports policing, addresses the wider drivers of illegal e-bike
use and strengthens expectations on delivery platforms to prevent the use of
non-compliant vehicles.
Tony Campbell, Chief Executive
of MCIA, said law-abiding manufacturers, retailers and users of mopeds and
motorcycles are “fed up” with seeing widespread disregard for the law.
He said: “This is not simply a
market trend, it is the emergence of an unregulated substitute for mopeds and
motorcycles operating on public roads posing significant risk to pedestrians,
other road users with these illegal vehicles being used to enable more serious
crime.
“Police forces are key partners
in the solution, but they cannot solve this alone. What is needed now is
national clarity, consistent policy direction and coordinated action across
Government.”
The MCIA says the EAPC Bill
gives Parliament a timely opportunity to address the gap between legal
electrically assisted pedal cycles and high-powered illegal e-bikes
before an unregulated market becomes further embedded on UK roads.
