Ministers must urgently act to stop the sale of illegal and potentially lethal electric bikes, with a particular focus on their use by gig economy delivery riders, a committee of MPs and peers has said.
The rapid spread of highly powered bikes or conversion kits causes hazards on the roads and can lead to fires because of cheaply made batteries, the report by the all-party parliamentary group for cycling and walking said, calling it “a crisis hiding in plain sight”.
This was even having a detrimental impact on active travel, the report said, with some travel networks and workplaces banning all ebikes from their premises, and people with legal ebikes being refused insurance.
Under UK law, ebikes are only allowed to use electric assist to power the machine up to 15.5mph when the rider is pedalling, with a maximum power output of 250w.
But the report said it is easy to find ebikes sold by major online retailers with powered speeds of 40mph, 2,000w motors and throttle control, all of which are illegal. Often, the report said, these were offered with the loophole that they should only be used offroad.
As well as being bought for personal use, such ebikes – which are officially, under the law, illegal electric motorbikes – are widely used by food delivery riders. Many of these use overseas-made conversion kits with multiple batteries, which are often not made to UK fire safety standards.
The report cites London fire brigade data showing that the service responded to eight incidents involving ebikes or escooters in 2019, rising to 116 in 2022 and 179 in 2023.
The cross-party report, which took evidence from fire services as well as police, cycle industry bodies, gig economy workers and experts, calls for police to be given clearer powers to seize illegal ebikes, as well as a scrappage scheme for such machines being used by delivery riders, funded by their companies.
It also demands changes to the law to make online sales websites responsible for listings of illegal bikes, and an end to the “offroad only” sales loophole.
The report also calls for delivery services to take responsibility for making sure their riders use legal bikes, and for a wider move for gig economy riders to be taken on as workers.
Fabian Hamilton, the Labour MP who chairs the group, said: “This is a crisis hiding in plain sight.
“While responsible cycling businesses continue to meet high safety standards, the rise of illegal and unsafe ebikes, often bought online and used in the gig economy, has created serious risks for riders, the public and the future of active travel.
“We need urgent action from government and industry to stop unsafe products entering the UK and to protect those being exploited while trying to earn a living.”