Skip to content

Growing trend of illegal e-bikes, police warn

Drivers of illegal e-bikes are a danger to pedestrians and themselves, say police

Police Scotland have warned of a growing trend in illegally-modified e-bikes following a spate of collisions and injuries in city centres.

BBC Scotland News has learned officers seized almost 300 dangerous bikes between January and September this year alone.

Some of the vehicles, originally pedal bikes, had electric motors added and were able to travel much faster than their brakes can cope with - sometimes up to 40mph and travelling on pavements.

The force has warned anyone caught using an illegal e-bike on public roads could be charged and have their bike confiscated.

'Brakes won't stop'

It is legal to ride an electric bike without a driving licence and they do not need to be registered, taxed or insured - but they do need to meet certain requirements.

E-bikes must have pedals and should not be able to travel faster than 15.5mph.

They are also subject to the same road laws as other bikes, therefore should only be used on cycle paths and roads.

Any bike that travels faster than 15.5mph and has more than a 200 watt output is classed as a motor vehicle and is therefore subject to the Road Traffic Act.

Any scooter that is battery powered is also not allowed on the road.

A police officer wearing full uniform which includes a white hat with a black and white checked band. He is wearing a black top with police Scotland written on both sleeves and a high-vis vest with a walkie-talkie and a torch attached to the front. He is standing in a scrap year with a police car in the frame.
Insp Hugh Nicholls said officers are seeing more incidents involving modified e-bikes

Insp Hugh Nicholls, from Greater Glasgow's road policing unit said he is concerned about a growing trend of illegally-modified e-bikes.

He said: "We often find that these vehicles have been modified, so they start off life as a pedal cycle and then they have an adaption kit put on to add an electric motor and electric battery to it.

"That's particularly dangerous as the bike itself isn't designed for that and the brakes won't be designed to stop that. They can generally go a lot faster than 15.5mph."

He added that police regularly come across three types of e-bikes - regular pedal bikes that have been adapted and have engines attached onto them, electric bikes that have a throttle and can reach speeds of up to 60mph and bikes that do not have pedals and are essentially motorbikes powered by an electric engine.

Officers seized 291 of these bikes between January and September.

An black e-scooter, an electric motorbike and a white pedal bike with thick wheels and a white body pictured in a scrap yard.
Police officers often come across different types of modified e-bikes from pedal bikes to motorbikes with an electric engine

Insp Nicholls said that e-bikes manufactured in the UK will come with a warning that they are not for use on the road, but those made abroad often don't and not following these rules could come at a price.

He said: "If you're stopped by us, then you will most likely be charged, and your bike will be seized by the police.

"It'll also be extremely costly to get the bike back and you face going to court for any charges that there are as well."

He added the e-bikes pose a massive risk to vulnerable road users and pedestrians.

"We have had several incidents in Glasgow in the last year where pedestrians have been struck. They're also a danger to the people riding them," he said.

A woman with grey hair and black glasses. She is wearing a navy coat and a scarf.
Michelle Young was knocked over by an e-bike in Glasgow

Michelle Young, from Patrick in Glasgow, was hit by a delivery driver riding an e-bike in Glasgow city centre in 2022.

The 44-year-old, who is partially blind, said she was crossing the road after being alerted to a green man when the incident happened.

She told BBC Scotland News: "I was hit in the ribs and in the side by the handlebars of the bike. The dog was clipped by the pedal.

"The rider carried on up the street, didn't even stop, and shouted some fairly questionable language at me."

Members of the public helped Ms Young identify the delivery company and the direction the rider was travelling in, and they were reported to Police Scotland.

They were later convicted as a result of the crash.

Michelle was only bruised by the accident but has since been forced to rebuild her confidence in order to head back outside.

She continued: "You can never just chill out and enjoy a nice, relaxing walk, because you're always listening.

"I'm always thinking, are they going to see me? Are they going to avoid me? Or is this the day where I am going to end up in the path of one and not be able to do anything about it?"

"There's the Highway Code, there are rules about cycling, and they're there for a reason.

"If everyone could try to stick to those rules, then we would all be able to move through the world with grace and with peace."