Concerns have been raised about the increased use of electric bikes in South Tyneside, with one senior police officer labelling the vehicles as “the new scourge”. Fears about electric bikes have previously been raised at South Tyneside Council meetings, with some councillors referring to the vehicles as “silent assassins”.
At the most recent meeting of the East Shields and Whitburn Community Area Forum (CAF) on Thursday, November 17, the issue was raised again, this time by neighbourhood police. Concerns included young people using the electric bikes in an anti-social way and putting both themselves and the general public at risk of serious injury.
Sergeant Rob Lloyd, of Northumbria Police, said: “These new super electric ones that go 50mph-60mph are absolutely silent. We’re not hearing them but they’re still causing the same level of disorder, they’re fleeing along the streets and just missing people, they’re riding the wrong way up roads and are still tearing the grass up around all the grassed areas.
READ MORE: Northumbria Police battle with 'silent assassin bikers knocking shoppers off their feet'
“They’re causing the same issues [as off-road motorbikes] but we’re not getting as many reports in about them. However they’re just as bad. So that’s the new scourge unfortunately”.
Sgt Lloyd made the comments at the CAF meeting during an update on motorcycle disorder and said police would seize electric bikes where possible. The police officer added: “It’s frightening how fast they can go and we have had reports of young people, or whoever is riding them, coming off and getting horrific injuries.
“But we’re not getting as many reports in as people aren’t hearing it but if people are seeing and hearing anything we’re urging people [to report it]. It’s difficult because you may think that if they’re travelling slowly it’s just on a push bike because they have got skinny wheels, quite a neat frame and can go slowly if they want to.
They’re on the path and you think they’re not causing any trouble. But there are no pedals so they are illegal and we would seize them if we got hold of them.
“So we’re again appealing to the public to let us know where they are if possible”. Councillor Michael Clare, Harton ward member, asked whether there was any joint work between police and South Tyneside Trading Standards around the sale of electric scooters leading up to Christmas.
Police said that Trading Standards work mainly focused on alcohol sales and illegal vaping products, and that Central Government guidance was needed over the sale of the vehicles. Sgt Lloyd added: “Let’s be under no illusion that a lot of them are kids on scooters, they’re 11, 12 and 13-year-old thinking it’s fine.
“Parents are oblivious and are buying very expensive electric scooters thinking it’s a toy, and that their kids can go to school on it and that it’s good for the environment. But as soon as the motor rating goes up, it’s illegal”.
Police have urged residents to report issues about electric bikes and electric scooters via the ‘tell us something’ section of the Northumbria Police website or through the 101 phone line.
For more information, go here
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