Police in the City of London have seized more illegal e-bikes than any other force - with one capable of 70mph.
The number of modified e-bikes on the capital’s roads is soaring with some used by criminal gangs mugging Londoners for their mobile phones so they can get a quick getaway.
They are also a threat to pedestrians who cannot hear them coming sometimes at high speeds which make it difficult for the rider to brake before a collision. Under UK law, e-bike motors must cut out when a speed of 15.5mph is reached.
Forces across the UK confiscated 937 e-bikes in the year to August 11, according to Freedom of Information (FoI) figures. That is compared with 511 during the previous 12 months.
City of London Police confiscated 295 in the year to August 11, more than any other force.
One of the bikes was capable of reaching 70mph, the motorway speed limit, and featured an electronic display indicating it had covered more than 6,000 miles.
Conversion kits are available online for as little as £300 and the bikes don’t look much different to normal e-bikes, making it easy for riders to avoid detection.
It is also common for officers to find e-bikes that can be powered without the pedals being turned, effectively making them electric mopeds or motorbikes which must be registered and taxed.
Conversion kits are available online for as little as £300.
During an operation by the City of London police cycling team outside London Liverpool Street railway station earlier this month, it took officers just minutes to catch a rider using an illegal e-bike.
The e-bike had a motor with a maximum power output was 500 watts – twice the legal limit – as well as severely worn out tyres and a bundle of loose electric wires stored in a soaking wet pouch.
An officer at the scene described it as “a death trap”, adding: “This could easily kill him or someone else.”
No action was taken against the rider – a food delivery worker – but his e-bike was confiscated and will likely be destroyed.
Twenty-seven out of 46 police forces provided data in response to PA’s Freedom of Information requests.
Among the forces with the largest year-on-year increases in e-bike seizures were Wiltshire Police (from 24 to 64), Police Scotland (from 60 to 233), Derbyshire Police (from four to 23), Northumbria Police (from 18 to 58) and South Wales Police (from 66 to 137).
Some forces said their figures related to all e-bike seizures, while others specified their statistics were for illegal e-bikes.
The overall 83% rise in e-bike confiscations suggested by the investigation underplays the true scale of the surge, as some forces did not provide comparable figures.
Acting Sergeant Chris Hook, who is part of the leadership team within the force’s cycle unit established in July 2023, explained that a “broad spectrum” of people ride illegally modified e-bikes, such as commuters, food delivery workers and criminals snatching phones.
He said: “The high speed and power of these vehicles means they’re ideal for riders to come in, take the phone and get away before the victim knows what’s happened.”
The speed and weight of illegally modified e-bikes also “massively” heightens the danger for pedestrians involved in collisions, Acting Sgt Hook said.
“The heaviest one I’ve seen was in excess of 50kg. That bike (could reach over) 60mph.
“If that impacts with somebody, it’s likely to cause either serious injury or, God forbid, death.”
Acting Sgt Hook said people caught riding an illegally adapted e-bikes could face prosecution for a variety of offences such as not having insurance and number plates.
But on most occasions, the only action taken is to destroy their vehicle.
This “keeps them and the public safe”, and going beyond that “doesn’t feel reasonable”, he added.
Tanya Braun, director of policy and communications at walking charity Living Streets, said illegally modified e-bikes used on pavements “pose the same danger and provoke the same fear as a motorbike coming up alongside a pedestrian”.
She stressed the need for “properly resourcing community policing” to support enforcement of e-bike laws, and for awareness of the safety hazard the vehicles create so users “know what it is they are buying”.
