Measures to tackle e-bike 'menace' announced

A city's community safety chief has shared details of new measures to tackle the public "menace" caused by e-bikes.

Almost two dozen compliance officers and neighbourhood support officers will take to the streets to try to stop electric bikes illegally riding through Coventry's city centre precincts and other parts of the city.

Community safety wardens are to get more powers to stop the riders and a proposed idea to deploy mobile cameras will also be investigated.

Labour's cabinet member for community safety, John McNicholas, provided new details after being asked by Reform UK for statistics on the problem and exactly how the council planned to tackle it.

Between December 1 2024 and June 1 2026, 47 fixed penalty notices were issued to people on e-bikes and e-scooters for riding in the city centre, McNicholas said.

There were a further 10 occasions when advice was given.

In the same period, Coventry had seen 17 collisions linked to the issue, four involving e-bikes and 13 involving e-scooters.

The council continued to receive regular complaints about e-bikes and e-scooters on a weekly basis and that they were implementing a technical solution to record these complaints consistently and accurately, he said.

"E-bikes are a menace. They are not allowed to operate in the city centre, they are required to get off and walk their e-bike," Councillor McNicholas said.

"However, we have far too many incidents, not just in the city centre, but across the city. And it's something that we have to deal with."

"So the department itself is addressing these matters expeditiously."

Reform councillor Marcus Lapsa also asked what was being done to combat the illegal riding of off-road motorbikes, e-bikes and e-scooters in the city's parks, where children are playing.

He urged the council to consider mobile or temporary cameras to help catch the culprits.

Councillor McNicholas said cameras were a great idea which the council was looking into, but that there was a question of funding.

The authority is currently consulting on proposals to beef up its Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), when it is renewed after expiring in November 2026.

Existing restrictions on e-bikes, e-scooters and busking will be "refined" while new powers will be added to stop religious preachers who set up loud sound systems and stalls.

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