Police seized 7,049 potentially illegal e-bikes across the UK in the year to May 19, an 83% increase on the previous year, according to figures obtained by the Press Association through freedom-of-information requests. The data has prompted police, politicians and charities to call for new laws to clamp down on the vehicles, which have been linked to deaths and serious injuries.
Rising Seizures and Calls for Action
In 2025, 3,858 e-bikes were confiscated, compared with 7,049 in the latest 12-month period. Sergeant Stuart Ford, who leads the City of London Police cycle team, called the illegal bikes "a menace," while Labour MP Julie Minns, who has campaigned for a ban on sales of illegal e-bikes and conversion kits, said they were the "perfect accessory to phone theft, mugging and drug dealing."
Minns described the bikes as a danger to motorists and pedestrians, noting they do not have an MOT, are not licensed or insured, and cannot be traced as they lack registration plates. She told the Press Association they were a "growing problem driven by a prevalence of delivery riders," and an "accessory of choice" for phone-snatching, particularly in London.
Legal and Safety Concerns
Under UK law, legal e-bikes, known as electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs), must have a motor with a maximum power output of 250 watts and cut out at 15.5mph. Many confiscated bikes have been modified to travel much faster, with some exceeding 70mph. Sergeant Ford warned that illegal e-bikes can be up to three times heavier than conventional bikes, adding: "If that was to hit a small child, it can cause serious injuries."
Pedestrian safety charity Living Streets warned "the rise in e-bike use must not come at the expense of people walking," while the Royal National Institute of Blind People said e-bikes are "heavy, fast-moving, silent vehicles" that present a danger when "ridden carelessly."
Incidents and Fire Risks
E-bikes have been involved in several serious incidents. In May last year, 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson was killed by an illegal e-bike on a zebra crossing in Sunderland. In January, a pregnant woman in Poole, Dorset, was struck by an e-bike and later gave birth prematurely to a seriously ill baby. In April, a 10-year-old child was seriously injured after being hit by an e-bike on a pavement in Grimsby.
E-bikes also pose a fire risk, with a record 432 e-bike fires reported last year. Many illegal machines are bought online, with conversion kits available for under £300. The Metropolitan Police seized the most e-bikes (2,367), followed by Leicestershire (661), Police Scotland (585), and Thames Valley (425). Eleven forces saw seizures more than double year on year.
A Government spokeswoman said: "Illegal e-bikes that can reach dangerous speeds have no place on our roads and pavements, and the rise in seizures shows the scale of the problem police are dealing with. That's why we have strengthened police powers, changing the law so that officers no longer need to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles where they are used anti-socially." These powers came into force on June 29 under the Crime and Policing Act 2026. The Department for Business and Trade is expected to publish its response to a consultation on product safety reforms next month.
