Holyrood inquiry to examine whether police have enough powers to tackle e-bike and e-scooter crime
The Criminal Justice Committee will hear from frontline workers and communities, after police seized 142 illegally used e-bikes and e-scooters in a single week of action.
An e-scooter rider. Privately owned e-scooters cannot legally be ridden on public roads or pavements in the UK. · Photograph: Basher Eyre (CC BY-SA 2.0)
MSPs are to investigate whether police and other authorities have the powers they need to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour linked to e-bikes and e-scooters.
Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee has launched an inquiry into the issue, which its convener, David Linden MSP, said is "negatively impacting communities right across Scotland".
What the inquiry will look at
The committee aims to establish the scale and nature of the problem, and will examine the current legal and policy landscape. It will focus on four areas: causes, impact, enforcement and prevention.
MSPs plan to hear from frontline workers, communities and people with lived experience of the issue.
The inquiry will also try to identify what powers police and other authorities currently have, and will scrutinise the Scottish Government's approach, including how it works with the UK Government. Much of the law on vehicle construction and use is reserved to Westminster.
"Concerns existing measures may not be enough"
Mr Linden said: "Crime and antisocial behaviour related to e-bikes and e-scooters is negatively impacting communities right across Scotland, and concerns have been raised that existing measures may not be sufficient."
He said the committee wanted to learn about the causes and impacts of the behaviour and what the Scottish Government is doing about it, and to find out whether authorities have sufficient powers – "and if not, what must be done to improve enforcement".
142 seized in one week
Police Scotland says it has seized an increasing number of e-scooters and e-bikes being used illegally on roads in recent years, and that communities continue to complain about related antisocial behaviour.
On Friday, the force said it had seized 142 e-bikes and e-scooters during a week of action that began on Monday, October 19. All of them will be destroyed.
What the law says
Police Scotland says e-bikes can legally be used on public roads only if they meet strict rules, including limits on motor power and assisted speed, and require the rider to pedal. Bikes that have been modified or that exceed those limits are treated as motor vehicles, needing insurance, registration and a licence.
Privately owned e-scooters cannot be used legally on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements in Scotland. They can only be ridden on private land with the landowner's permission.