It isn't illegal to sell them; it is just illegal to ride them except under various quite rigid limitations.
If a bike with a throttle is old enough it can be legal (as long as it satisfies the other criteria), and others can be certified as Nealh said above.
he said if a policeman saw you he would stop you. That is not the case. A policeman is very unlikely to stop you, though he or she technically can. You are mostly only likely to get into trouble with an illegal ebike if you ride very very very irresponsibly, or if you have an accident. As you point out, there are lots of people riding illegal ebikes very irresponsibly and not being stopped.
It is illegal to sell them while claiming they can be legally ridden, but that's more a trading standards and sale of goods act issue. Many of us here think it should be illegal to sell them unless you have made it extremely clear to the buyer that they are not legal pedelecs. Some sellers hide 'illegality' notes deep in a web page where most people won't find them, others explicitly and untruthfully claim legality for thier bikes.
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Just seems a bit stupid it’s legal to sell electric bikes with PA and throttle yet I was told by a bike shop mechanic it’s illegal to have a throttle
Well like Nealh said about bike shops will lose revenue because unless you bought the bike from that shop they won’t touch them. Bit stupid if you ask me as it’s not the electric part I wanted sorting it’s just to check the brakes and gears make sure they ok. As I have noticed my back brake needs tightening. I guess then I will have to start learning how to adjust brakes and gears. Just so stupid some bike shops as brakes and gears are nothing to do with electrics. And I’m sure most bike shops are fixing those mostly
As what you said Nealh about my brothers bike isn’t legal if he has to turn on PA via a switch. He bought his bike brand new I think it’s a cyclomatic I will
Ask him again what make it is
I didn’t think you had to turn on PA
Well I was just out on my bike, and I lifted the back wheel and cranked the pedals but couldnt see motor spinning But it works ok on throttle, and i cant see any wire off or loose. I am taking bike into my flat later to check it out more