Police step up clampdown on illegal e-bikes

Police have said they are to start seizing Illegally-ridden e-bikes and e-scooters without warning in Leicester city centre.

Riding e-scooters in public places is illegal unless they are hired as part of a government-approved scheme.

Electric bicycles are legal to use across the country, but must not exceed an output of 250 watts or travel faster than 15.5mph (24.9km/h).

On Tuesday, Leicestershire Police said it had issued 152 warnings to riders in the city centre since June 2023 but problems had persisted.

Previously, people caught riding illegally were given a warning and police would immobilise their vehicle with a cable tie.

Riders caught a second time faced having their vehicles confiscated, leading to eight e-scooters and five e-mopeds being seized, the force said.

However city centre police commander Insp Ryan Ludlam, said: "As a result of these issues persisting, we have made the decision to seize illegal vehicles in the first instance without warning.

"The extent of the problem is demonstrated by the need to run a specific operation with officers assigned to focus wholly on this issue."

Insp Ludlam said some food delivery riders had been stopped by officers and attempts had been made to contact the companies that employ them.

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has said he wanted a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which would grant greater powers to take enforcement action against those causing a nuisance.

He said: "I very much welcome this new approach to tackling the nuisance of illegal e-bikes and electric scooters in our city centre.

"We know that other cities are experiencing similar problems, but it's unacceptable that the behaviour of a few individuals should spoil the city centre for the rest of us."

"We know that e-bike riders going dangerously fast on pedestrianised streets can have a significant impact on people's enjoyment of the city centre."

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