Officers across the county have seized 99 e-scooters as part of a new approach, with an operation in Derby resulting in 39 e-scooters and e-bikes seized in one day.
The operation took place in Derby on Friday 29th November, as officers from Derby Safer Neighbourhood Team and Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit worked closely with CCTV operators from Derby City Council and the Derbion to intercept illegal riders.
Included in the 39 seizures on the day, one e-bike had been rigged with a motor that could propel it to speeds of 50mph and had no brakes.
During the activity in Derby, the e-bikes were tested by officers from the Vehicle Inspection Unit to check if they met the legal requirements to be used on public roads and if not, the e-bike was seized.
Derbyshire Constabulary has now moved to a ‘seize first’ position with e-scooters, with no requirement for officers to issue an initial warning at the time of a first offence.
The results from this operation included saw 39 e-scooters and e-bikes seized and alongside this, officers made two arrests for immigration offences.
Speaking about the Derby operation, Sergeant Jamie Millard said: “We know e-bikes and e-scooters are a real concern for local people, who report having to jump out of the way of riders going along pavements at high speed.
“E-scooters can only be used on private land, and e-bikes have to meet certain requirements. Some of the vehicles we seized were a danger to both the rider and those around them, as they were rigged to go at high speeds which also carries a fire risk too.
“These results make it clear that we are taking action against the illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters. We hope this action reassures the community of Derby and helps educate potential buyers about the law and risks in the run up to Christmas.”
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have also recently been granted the power to seize illegal e-scooters to help tackle the issue across the county.
Work will also continue throughout Derbyshire to tackle e-scooters and e-bikes as part of this new approach.
To find out more about the law regarding e-scooters, please visit: Advice on e-scooter usage | Derbyshire Constabulary.
The law regarding e-bikes can be found on the government website: Electric bikes: licensing, tax and insurance - GOV.UK.
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