Police officers will be granted new powers to seize e-bikes and e-scooters without warning if they are being used illegally, following discussions in the House of Lords about new enforcement.
The measures, which form part of the Government’s efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the electric vehicles, were outlined during today’s parliamentary session.
The session looked at what measures the Government were taking to ensure the illegal use of electric bikes and scooters came under control.
In response, the Government detailed how new legislation will look at removing the current requirement for officers to issue warnings before confiscating vehicles which are being used unlawfully.
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The new legislation will be featured in the Crime and Policing Bill which is expected to pass this year
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Lord Hanson, the Minister of State at the Home Office, told peers that tackling anti-social behaviour was a “top priority” for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets mission and plan for change.
The new powers will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill, with Hanson emphasising its importance in addressing anti-social behaviour.
Currently, privately owned e-scooters are illegal to use in public places, although riders have been spotted up and down the country with Baroness McIntosh of Pickering warning that the “current rules are simply not working”.
To tackle this, the Government revealed it is running 17 pilot schemes to evaluate how e-scooters can be safely used, with Hanson stressing that enforcement still remains the main deterrent.
“The Government’s first priority in the police and crime bill is to make sure that where those bikes are now being used illegally, they can be seized without any warning by the police,” he said.
The measures are expected to take effect once the bill receives Royal Assent. Research by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety also revealed that e-scooter riders face a heightened risk of head injuries during collisions.
Baroness Pidgeon told the House of Lords that riders “are more likely to fall forward in the event of a collision and therefore are more likely to suffer a head injury and serious consequences”.
The Motor Insurance Bureau has reported that 35 per cent of their claims involve pedestrians aged between seven and 80 years old.
But Baroness McIntosh of Pickering warned that as the number of e-bikes grows, so does the number of deaths and casualties.
She called for the Government to consider legalising privately owned electric scooters to enable proper regulation of their safe use as well as introduce compulsory insurance requirements.
Peers were particularly concerned about the growing use of e-scooters in criminal activities with Lord Davies of Gower warning of their increasing role in mobile phone thefts.
Hanson revealed that the Home Secretary recently convened a meeting with police chiefs and the Metropolitan Police to address the growing issue of mobile phone theft. He said: “It’s completely unacceptable for any criminal to use bikes or other methods, e-scooters or other mobile potential areas of movement to steal mobile phones.”
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Police forces will be able to seize e-bikes and e-scooters immediately under proposed rule changes
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The new powers will come into effect once the Police and Crime bill passes with the legislation specifically applying to England and Wales. As for Northern Ireland, Lord Rogan highlighted that e-scooters remain “a common sight” on streets despite being banned in public places.