Tackling Illegal E-Bikes and Dangerous Riding

Chair: James Gurling OBE; Aide: Dr Chris Adams (Vice Chair, FCC); Hall Aide: Chloe Hutchinson

Motion as passed by conference

Submitted by: 14 members 
Mover: Olly Glover MP (Spokesperson for Transport) 
Summation: To be announced

Conference notes that:

1. Liberal Democrats champion cycling as a vital tool to improve public health, reduce toxic air pollution and relieve urban traffic congestion.
2. The Liberal Democrats were the first UK political party to adopt the recommendations of the landmark 'Get Britain Cycling' report as official party policy.
3. The UK's estimated full market size for e-bikes in 2025 was 149,000 units.
4. While motor vehicles remain by far the greatest cause of death and injury on the roads, public concern is rising over the dangerous misuse of illegally modified or unregulated e-bikes on pavements and in pedestrianised zones.
5. In May 2024, changes to the law via the Criminal Justice Bill established that causing death or serious injury by dangerous or careless cycling is a criminal offence, carrying maximum penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
6. A proliferation of unregulated, oversized, and illegal e-bikes capable of excessive speeds are posing risks to pedestrians, particularly the elderly, children and disabled individuals.
7. These high-speed, illegal e-bikes are increasingly being weaponised by criminal gangs and used to facilitate anti-social behaviour.
8. The current regulatory system for e-bikes is confusing, outdated, and seldom enforced, meaning that the unrestricted online sale of illegal modification kits and high-power bikes continues entirely unchecked.

Conference believes that:

1. Everyone has the right to feel safe on streets and pavements, and cyclists must recognise their clear duty of care towards pedestrians and other commuters.
2. Legal E-bikes offer significant benefits for widening participation in active travel – particularly for disabled people, older people and those with longer commutes or caring responsibilities – and safe, legal e-bike adoption should be encouraged.
3. Dangerous or criminal riders must not be above the law, and the reputational damage caused by illegal e-bikes risks undermining the broader public case for legal, green active travel.
4. The vast majority of delivery drivers, couriers, and everyday cyclists are law-abiding individuals trying to earn a living or travel sustainably, and they deserve protection from rampant e-bike theft.
5. Illegal e-bike use and dangerous riding are also a local community safety and antisocial behaviour issue, directly affecting residents and communities and requiring effective partnership working between local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies.
6. Enforcement action by the police alone cannot solve this crisis; the government must aggressively tackle the supply chain and unrestricted online marketplaces that flood the streets with illegal vehicles.
7. Multi-million-pound courier and gig-economy platforms must take corporate responsibility for the safety, vehicle legality, and road conduct of the riders operating on their apps, including by ensuring that pay structures and work-allocation algorithms do not incentivise riders to exceed safe speeds or use illegal vehicles.

Conference calls on the Government to:

1. Implement strict restrictions or bans on the online sale and importation of illegal high-power e-bikes, untethered conversion kits, and oversized electric vehicles that breach standard Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle safety limits, and close the loophole permitting such vehicles to be marketed and sold under the pretence of off-road-only use when routinely ridden on public roads.
2. Overhaul the confusing existing legal framework to provide clear, updated definitions separating legal active travel from high-speed, unregistered light electric vehicles.
3. Provide police forces with updated training to confidently spot, intercept and confiscate illegally modified bikes, ensuring that dangerous cycling laws are robustly enforced.
4. Establish statutory liability standards for gig-economy delivery platforms, legally requiring them to verify that their riders utilise road-legal vehicles, hold valid insurance and comply with traffic laws.
5. Require delivery platforms to reform per-delivery pay structures so they do not incentivise riders to exceed safe speeds or use illegal vehicles, and to publish regular algorithmic safety assessments.
6. Work with industry to establish a government-backed e-bike safety kitemark, enabling landlords, transport operators, and insurers to distinguish legal, safe e-bikes from illegal machines to avoid unnecessary blanket restrictions on e-bikes.
7. Deliver a comprehensive nation-wide active travel strategy that invests in secure bike infrastructure to combat theft, alongside dedicated cycle paths between key transport links to keep pedestrians and legal cyclists safe.
8. Take steps to enforce compliance of e-bike and delivery drivers with the Highway Code.
9. Strengthen support for local authorities and Community Safety Partnerships to tackle the antisocial behaviour associated with illegal e-bikes and dangerous riding, including through improved information-sharing, joint enforcement activity, prevention and community engagement.

Applicability: Federal, except for 3 which is England and Wales, and 5. and 6. which are England only.

Motion prior to amendment

Submitted by: 14 members 
Mover: Olly Glover MP (Spokesperson for Transport) 
Summation: To be announced

Conference notes that:

1. Liberal Democrats champion cycling as a vital tool to improve public health, reduce toxic air pollution and relieve urban traffic congestion.
2. The Liberal Democrats were the first UK political party to adopt the recommendations of the landmark ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report as official party policy.
3. The UK’s estimated full market size for e-bikes in 2025 was 149,000 units.
4. While motor vehicles remain by far the greatest cause of death and injury on the roads, public concern is rising over the dangerous misuse of illegally modified or unregulated e-bikes on pavements and in pedestrianised zones.
5. In May 2024, changes to the law via the Criminal Justice Bill established that causing death or serious injury by dangerous or careless cycling is a criminal offence, carrying maximum penalties of up to 14 years in prison.
6. A proliferation of unregulated, oversized, and illegal ebikes capable of excessive speeds are posing risks to pedestrians, particularly the elderly, children and disabled individuals.
7. These high-speed, illegal e-bikes are increasingly being weaponised by criminal gangs and used to facilitate antisocial behaviour.
8. The current regulatory system for e-bikes is confusing, outdated, and seldom enforced, meaning that the unrestricted online sale of illegal modification kits and high-power bikes continues entirely unchecked.

Conference believes that:

1. Everyone has the right to feel safe on streets and pavements, and cyclists must recognise their clear duty of care towards pedestrians and other commuters.
2. Dangerous or criminal riders must not be above the law, and the reputational damage caused by illegal e-bikes risks undermining the broader public case for legal, green active travel.
3. The vast majority of delivery drivers, couriers, and everyday cyclists are law-abiding individuals trying to earn a living or travel sustainably, and they deserve protection from rampant e-bike theft.
4. Enforcement action by the police alone cannot solve this crisis; the government must aggressively tackle the supply chain and unrestricted online marketplaces that flood the streets with illegal vehicles.
5. Multi-million-pound courier and gig-economy platforms must take corporate responsibility for the safety, vehicle legality, and road conduct of the riders operating on their apps.

Conference calls on the Government to:

1. Implement strict restrictions or bans on the online sale and importation of illegal high-power e-bikes, untethered conversion kits, and oversized electric vehicles that breach standard Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle safety limits.
2. Overhaul the confusing existing legal framework to provide clear, updated definitions separating legal active travel from high-speed, unregistered light electric vehicles.
3. Provide police forces with updated training to confidently spot, intercept and confiscate illegally modified bikes, ensuring that dangerous cycling laws are robustly enforced.
4. Establish statutory liability standards for gig-economy delivery platforms, legally requiring them to verify that their riders utilise road-legal vehicles, hold valid insurance and comply with traffic laws.
5. Deliver a comprehensive nation-wide active travel strategy that invests in secure bike infrastructure to combat theft, alongside dedicated cycle paths between key transport links to keep pedestrians and legal cyclists safe.
6. Take steps to enforce compliance of e-bike and delivery drivers with the Highway Code.

Applicability: Federal, except for 3 which is England and Wales, and 5. and 6. which are England only.

Amendment One

PASSED

Submitted by: LD Friends of Walking, Wheeling and Cycling
Mover: Katrin Harding
Summation: Cllr Adrian Betteridge

After line 33 insert new b): 

1. Legal E-bikes offer significant benefits for widening participation in active travel – particularly for disabled people, older people and those with longer commutes or caring responsibilities – and safe, legal e-bike adoption should be encouraged.

In line 49 after ‘apps’ insert ‘..., including by ensuring that pay structures and work-allocation algorithms do not incentivise riders to exceed safe speeds or use illegal vehicles.’

In line 54 after ‘safety limits.’ insert ‘..., and close the loophole permitting such vehicles to be marketed and sold under the pretence of off-roadonly use when routinely ridden on public roads.’

After line 65 insert new 5. and 6.: 

1. Require delivery platforms to reform per-delivery pay structures so they do not incentivise riders to exceed safe speeds or use illegal vehicles, and to publish regular algorithmic safety assessments.
2. Work with industry to establish a government-backed e-bike safety kitemark, enabling landlords, transport operators, and insurers to distinguish legal, safe e-bikes from illegal machines to avoid unnecessary blanket restrictions on e-bikes.

Amendment Two

PASSED

Submitted by: ALDC
Mover: To be announced 
Summation: To be announced

After line 45 insert new e): 

1. Illegal e-bike use and dangerous riding are also a local community safety and antisocial behaviour issue, directly affecting residents and communities and requiring effective partnership working between local authorities, police forces and other relevant agencies.

After line 71 insert new 7.: 

1. Strengthen support for local authorities and Community Safety Partnerships to tackle the antisocial behaviour associated with illegal e-bikes and dangerous riding, including through improved information-sharing, joint enforcement activity, prevention and community engagement.