Electric bicycles (e-bikes) have been associated with nearly 39,000 crimes and road crashes across England and Wales in the past three years, marking a 70% increase over the period and fueling calls for stricter government regulation.

The incidents include pedestrian fatalities and severe injuries, drug trafficking, robberies, assaults, and sexual offenses. In some cases, e-bike riders were found to be carrying weapons or were intoxicated, and several vehicles belonging to undocumented immigrants were impounded, according to data obtained by the Daily Mail.

Police forces recorded 38,930 incidents involving e-bikes between 2021 and 2023. Of the 43 police forces in England and Wales, 29 provided data, suggesting the actual number of incidents may be higher. The City of London Police, for instance, has encountered cases where e-bike riders were arrested for immigration offenses, potentially impacting those working in the gig economy.

Concerns Over Modified E-bikes

Legal e-bikes are designed to have a maximum assisted speed of 15.5 mph. However, many models available online can be easily modified or are sold with higher speed capabilities, allowing them to reach up to 70 mph. These faster or modified bikes are legally considered motor vehicles, requiring riders to possess a license and insurance, which many do not have.

"It’s clear e-bikes are being used dangerously and for criminal purposes across the UK," said Greg Smith, Tory shadow transport minister. "The government can’t just bury their heads in the sand and need to take real action before more people are hurt or worse."

Roads lawyer Nick Freeman, known as Mr. Loophole, emphasized the difficulty in apprehending offenders without identification. "If you don’t know who is driving [because e-bikes don’t have reg plates], and you can’t locate the driver or rider, the law is impotent, it’s meaningless," Freeman stated. He advocates for classifying e-bikes as mopeds or motorbikes, requiring registration plates, helmets, and insurance.

Jamie Hassall, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, noted that while legal e-bikes can offer cleaner transport options, the proliferation of illegal, modified e-bikes is eroding public confidence. "Enforcement is made particularly difficult because many of these vehicles are visually indistinguishable from compliant e-bikes, despite being capable of speeds and performance that place them firmly in the category of motor vehicles," Hassall said. "We urgently need stronger action to reduce illegal use and improve public safety."

High-Profile Incidents

The figures emerge following several prominent cases involving e-bikes. In one instance, 26-year-old Lilla Campbell, daughter of BBC broadcaster Nicky Campbell, was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident in Peckham, south London.

In 2025, teenager Billy Stokoe was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison for killing 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson as she crossed a zebra crossing in Sunderland. Stokoe was found to be under the influence of cannabis and using his mobile phone at the time of the fatal collision.

Gloria Stephenson was killed on a zebra crossing by e-bike rider Billy Stokoe

BBC broadcaster Nicky Campbell recently revealed his daughter, Lilla, was left badly injured after a hit-and-run incident involving an e-bike

Police Data Highlights Trends

Devon & Cornwall and Dorset Police reported one of the highest tallies, with over 9,600 incidents in three years. This included nearly 1,000 road traffic collisions, over 700 incidents related to violence against the person, 60 drug offenses, 40 weapons possession crimes, and 84 sexual offenses. The force was unable to identify a suspect in 3,396 of these cases.

West Yorkshire Police saw a significant percentage increase, with incidents rising from 1,798 in 2023 to 4,001 in 2024, a 122% jump. Over the three-year period, the force recorded 8,647 incidents, including almost 500 road traffic collisions and over 5,700 crime-related incidents, such as 250 robberies and 156 arson and criminal damage offenses. The force could not identify a suspect in 1,655 cases.

Police in the City of London were recently photographed inspecting e-bikes to catch any modified illegally

This was the moment teenage e-bike rider Billy Stokoe mowed down and killed grandmother Gloria Stephenson on a zebra crossing in an incident that shocked the nation

Nearly 39,000 incidents involving e-bikes were recorded by police forces over the last three years, with a 70 per cent surge over the period

Government Response

A government spokesperson stated that individuals using e-bikes for criminal activities will face police action, including fines up to £2,500, license points, and prosecution. "We’ve given police stronger powers to seize vehicles, including faster and more powerful e-bikes, where they are being used anti-socially - without needing to issue a warning," the spokesperson added. The government is also addressing unsafe products sold online and allowing seizure of modified e-bikes used without a license or insurance.