Police in Scotland are confiscating record numbers of illegal electric bikes and scooters, leading to urgent political calls for officers to be granted strengthened powers to destroy the vehicles quickly.
Sharp Rise in Confiscations
New figures reveal a dramatic escalation in seizures over recent years. In the first nine months of last year alone, police seized 452 e-bikes and 115 e-scooters. This marks a significant increase from the 272 e-bikes and 82 e-scooters taken throughout the entirety of 2024.
The longer-term data from Police Scotland shows the trend's steep trajectory. Seizures of e-bikes climbed from just 29 in 2022, to 69 in 2023, before jumping to the hundreds. A similar pattern is seen with e-scooters, rising from 27 seizures in 2022 to 115 by September of last year.
Community Impact and Political Demands
The surge follows widespread concern that these vehicles are increasingly linked to criminal activity and antisocial conduct. Communities report being blighted by issues such as off-road biking in public parks and intimidating street racing.
In response, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is demanding reforms to give police enhanced authority. He wants officers to be able to seize unlicensed vehicles and have them crushed without delay, mirroring measures introduced in England last year.
"Communities across Scotland are being plagued by the scourge of illegal e-bikes," Sarwar stated. "Scottish Labour will crackdown on e-bikes as a policy priority. We will support the police to seize and destroy unlicensed illegal e-bikes and e-scooters."
Legal Loopholes and Tragic Consequences
Currently, Police Scotland can only confiscate these vehicles under specific circumstances, such as breaches of the Road Traffic Act 1988, or if the rider has no licence or insurance. The process for destroying seized vehicles can be slow.
Reforms in England have reduced the waiting time for destruction from 14 days to just 48 hours for vehicles used in antisocial driving, making it harder for offenders to reclaim them. Scottish Labour is pushing for similar powers ahead of the Holyrood election.
The risks associated with illegal electric vehicles were tragically highlighted last July, when 18-year-old Kendal John Donaldson died in Ayrshire after colliding with an ambulance while riding an e-scooter around 2am.
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed their active stance, saying: "We are aware of concerns regarding the issue of non-compliant e-bikes and illegal e-scooters and whenever these vehicles are identified they are seized." Most seizures relate to the vehicles being uninsured and/or unlicensed.
The Scottish Government noted that ministers and officials regularly meet with police to address the issue and continue to engage with the UK Government on potential solutions.
