The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) and the Bicycle Association (BA) have published a national guide to support police forces in urgently tackling the rapid and growing use of illegal, non-compliant and high-powered e-bikes across the UK.
Reputable suppliers of road legal e-bikes go to considerable effort and expense to ensure that their e-bikes are compliant with UK legislation, and tested thoroughly to international standards. So it’s dismaying to see the strong safety record and public reputation of road legal e-bikes undermined by these illegal and unsafe vehicles.
Government action is essential to address both the supply of and demand for these vehicles, primarily through reform of the responsibilities of online marketplaces and gig economy delivery platforms. Meanwhile, if we can provide any additional technical advice or support to police and other enforcement agencies, we stand ready to do so – Steve Garidis, Executive Director of the BA
The news, shared by the MCIA, details that non-compliant products, marketed as “e-bikes” but capable of moped and motorcycle-level performance, are increasingly being used on public roads without licensing, registration, insurance or safety oversight. MCIA and the BA warns this trend is accelerating and creating a parallel, unregulated mobility market with serious implications for public safety, policing and legitimate businesses.
Immediate impacts and evidence
- Registrations of new L1 mopeds have fallen by more than 40% since 2022 – a decline that coincides with the rapid rise of illegal e-bikes operating as de facto mopeds outside the regulatory framework designed to ensure safety and accountability.
- Following extensive engagement with Chief Constables, Police and Crime Commissioners and the policing minister, forces consistently report that illegal e-bikes are a growing, complex enforcement challenge and that the absence of clear, national guidance on how to consistently identify and seize these vehicles is a critical barrier.
- Additionally, forces have acknowledged that when illegal e-bikes are targeted, operations have uncovered wider criminal activity, including illegal working, exploitation, weapons and drug offences – underlying the complexity of the issue.
With no national, enforceable framework forthcoming, MCIA and the BA have produced practical guidance to help officers consistently identify and deal with illegal, non-compliant and high-powered e-bikes. Once again, the industry has stepped in to fill a regulatory void while Government delays.
The new guide – ‘A Guide to Identifying Non-Compliant E-Bikes’, reflects the organisations’ interpretation of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) guidance and provides practical support to officers in assessing electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs), particularly in borderline cases where design, modification or real-world use creates uncertainty. It includes:
- How to identify whether the vehicle meets the legal definition of an EAPC;
- Whether the vehicle requires type approval (including Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) or Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA);
- Assistance with identifying whether the vehicle is being used within EAPC limits.
Calls to action
Guidance is necessary, but not sufficient. MCIA and the BA call on the Home Office and DfT to:
- Publish clear national guidance as part of coordinated national action, and an enforceable cross-Government framework for identifying, seizing and prosecuting non-compliant e-bikes this year.
- Strengthen oversight of the supply chain and delivery platforms, including mandatory compliance checks for fleet operators and penalties for platforms that rely on riders using illegal vehicles. This could include a review of the legal framework governing the use of self-employed riders.
- Commit to a ministerial meeting with industry, police representatives and delivery sector regulators by the end of this summer to agree on immediate next steps.
- Stronger enforcement against online marketplaces and high street retailers selling non-compliant vehicles and modification kits, including measures to prevent reliance on weak disclaimers to bypass responsibility.
Without decisive action, MCIA warns that illegal, non-compliant vehicles will continue to proliferate, road safety will worsen, enforcement pressures will increase, and compliant sectors will face deepening unfair competition.
Tony Campbell, Chief Executive of the MCIA, said: “What we are seeing is the rapid emergence of an unregulated market in illegal, non-compliant and high-powered e-bikes. This creates real public safety risks, undermines legitimate manufacturers and retailers who invest in compliance, and places growing pressure on police forces.
“Officers have told us they need clearer, consistent guidance on identifying and dealing with these vehicles. The guide we have developed with the Bicycle Association is a useful step, but not a complete solution. National clarity, consistent policy and coordinated action across government – including stronger oversight of the supply chain and delivery sector – are urgently required. Police cannot solve this alone.”