Devon & Cornwall Police News site

Police recently seized two e-bikes as part of an operation in Falmouth which sought to tackle their illegal and dangerous use following concerns for public safety.

The targeted action saw police drones deployed to identify people using e-bikes and e-scooters, and officers on the ground approaching riders to carry out safety checks and give advice on using them safely and legally.

Officers spoke to a total of 19 riders, resulting in two e-bikes seized after they were found with illegal modifications.

One e-bike had an illegal motor fitted allowing the rider to operate the bike without the need to pedal, using a throttle only.

PS Owen Messenger, roads policing officer for Devon & Cornwall Police, said: “Earlier this year, there was a collision involving a woman in her 80s and an e-bike, which understandably had an impact on the local community.

“Thankfully the woman made a full recovery, but it shows just how important it is to run operations like these so that we can continue to educate and deter their unsafe and illegal use.

“Our focus remains on keeping all riders, road users and other members of the public safe. We will continue to carry out activity like this into the new year and beyond."

Addressing the public, PS Messenger added: “If you’re looking at buying and/or gifting an e-scooter or e-bike over the festive season, please make sure know the laws and stick to them.

“If you don’t, you could run the risk of it being seized and destroyed.”

The operation was led by the Roads Policing team and supported by the Drone Unit and Falmouth Neighbourhood team.

If you see someone using an e-scooter on public land or using an e-bike illegally, report it on our website or by calling 101. Report | Devon & Cornwall Police

If they are causing immediate danger, call 999.

You can also share information 100% anonymously to Crimestoppers: Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers

The laws on e-bike and e-scooters:

E-scooters:

E-scooters are classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

It’s currently not possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters. This means that:

• It’s illegal to ride an e-scooter on public land. This includes roads, pavements, cycle lanes, beach promenades, bridleways or any publicly accessible land such as parks and car parks.
• You can only use e-scooters on private land with the land owners permission

E-bikes:

You can ride an e-bike without a licence or insurance if you’re 14 or over, providing that your e-bike:

• Has pedals that you can use to propel it
• Has a motor with a continuous rated power output of no more than 250 watts
• Does not deliver electrical assistance once you reach 15.5 miles per hour (mph).

E-bikes cannot be ridden on pavements.

They must only be ridden on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.

If e-bikes do not meet the above criteria, the e-bike is actually classed as a moped or even a motorbike. That means it must only be ridden on the road and to ride it legally, you must have a valid driving licence, insurance and you must wear a motorcycle helmet.

Published 17 December 2025.