Major crackdown on illegal e-bikes in Birmingham city centre

Plain clothes officers worked alongside uniformed city centre colleagues, officers from Operation Fearless and our Road Harm Prevention Team, Safer Travel, British Transport Police, Birmingham Community Safety Partnership and immigration officers.

We’ve also been working with Paradise security, as well as Central and Colmore BIDs to understand the concerns of businesses in the area around the use of illegally modified e-bikes.

Riders were spoken to and their bikes checked to see if they complied with the law.

Sixteen were seized because they were illegally modified to go much faster than intended - up to 40mph in some cases - and no longer met the definition of an electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC). All the bikes will now be crushed.

Where appropriate, rider details were checked by immigration officials to ensure they were working legally. Three were arrested for immigration matters

It’s one of a number of days of action planned over the coming weeks to make the city centre safer for everyone.

Insp Scott Taylor, from Birmingham Police, said: "Dangerous e-bike use has become a major problem in the city centre – partners, businesses and pedestrians are telling us they feel it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured.

"We’ve been working alongside city centre businesses, including takeaways, delivery companies, the Central Business Improvement District and the city council in recent weeks.

"We’ve been out educating riders on the law and the impact dangerous riding is having on the city centre, and tonight’s operation has seen us step it up a gear and take firm action against those flouting the rules.

"We’d urge anyone who rises an e-bike for work or pleasure in the city centre to make sure they their bike is legal.

"We’ll be taking more action over the coming weeks, so anyone who ignores the law may well find their bike is seized and they are issued with a fine or are given a court date."

The day was supported by the Sight Loss Council, which tackles issues affecting blind and partially sighted people.

Louise Connop, from the Sight Loss Council, said: "There are many obstacles that make it difficult for blind and partially sighted people to navigate our streets independently and safely, such as pavement parking forcing us into the road, overhanging vegetation, tables and chairs blocking walkways and many more.

"E-scooters and e-bikes have added additional barriers because of their high speeds and low noise. We can also be impacted by illegal pavement riding, and inappropriate parking such as in the middle of the pavement which causes trips and falls.

"Birmingham and Black Country Sight Loss Council has been working with West Midlands Police over the last couple of years to raise awareness and education about appropriate parking and safe use of these vehicles. Just making small changes can have a huge positive impact on our ability to live and travel independently."

Council director of regulation and enforcement Sajeela Naseer said: "We're really pleased that we've worked so closely with the police to look at appropriate interventions for the safety concerns in Birmingham city centre relating to cycles, e-bikes and other forms of powered transport.

"Clearly the mix of high speed cycles and pedestrians is not always a good one and we need to ensure that people can cycle safely, but also that pedestrians can go about their businesss knowing that they are not going to potentially be knocked over."

E-bikes and the law

• You can ride an electric bike if you’re 14 or over, as long as it is an ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle’ (EAPC). If it doesn’t meet the definition of an EAPC, it’s classed as a motorcycle or moped and must be registered, taxed, insured and you must have licence to ride it.
• You do not need a licence to ride an EAPC and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured.
• EAPCs can be ridden on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed. They cannot be ridden on pavements.

Find out more on the law 👉 Riding an electric bike: the rules - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)