People in Sheffield have spoken out against the irresponsible use of electric bikes, after a local MP raised concerns in the House of Commons.

[lenny]

"Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts warned on Monday of the "threat to public safety" posed by e-bikes and e-scooters.

People in the city centre told the BBC about the "danger" of e-bikes being ridden on pavements, especially to anyone with mobility, visual or hearing difficulties."

Sheffield residents back MP on e-bikes 'threat' warning

People in Sheffield share their concerns after local MP Clive Betts raises the issue in the Commons.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Az.]

"Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts warned on Monday of the "threat to public safety" posed by e-bikes and e-scooters.

People in the city centre told the BBC about the "danger" of e-bikes being ridden on pavements, especially to anyone with mobility, visual or hearing difficulties."

Sheffield residents back MP on e-bikes 'threat' warning

People in Sheffield share their concerns after local MP Clive Betts raises the issue in the Commons.

www.bbc.co.uk

I wonder why I am not surprised that only one side is given voice in this article. It is just a poor journalism. BBC should perhaps focus more on pedophiles in their ranks.

 

[Wayners]

I watched e-bikes going through the city pedestrian street today. Looked like Joe public but later in the evening it will be food delivery bikes. I thought bikes were banded in city pedestrian zones?

Re shared paths. I can see the problem on some if not very wide. How many accidents are there?

 

[saneagle]

I wonder why I am not surprised that only one side is given voice in this article. It is just a poor journalism. BBC should perhaps focus more on pedophiles in their ranks.

Good point. What's more dangerous - pedos or illegal electric bikes? The worst thing was the way the rest of the BBC covered for their mate. They're probably all involved one way or another.

 

[123Taff]

One of the major problems here is the utter ignorance of most of the public including this MP of the difference between legal pedalecs and illegal electric bikes and scooters.

I ride a legal pedelec and use shared paths and canal towpaths and old railway lines on a regular basis. I go out of my way to ensure that pedestrians are given their precedence and I am ultra polite to all I encounter.

Despite this I do sometimes come across the belligerent, who will go out of their way to impede any cyclists sharing the path, with some even questioning the legality of riding along these shared paths, despite the signage they have just passed.

In the urban setting, in most cases cycling on pavements or pedestrian areas is prohibited whether the bike has a motor or not.

This is exacerbated by the increasing riding of illegal electric bikes, especially by food delivery outlets.

There is no need to ban such machines, they are already illegal, but what is needed is a clamp down on the use of these machines. That is now proving difficult in as much as there are two Police Officers still under criminal investigation after the two young lads died in Cardiff after crashing their illegal electric bike after the two officers were “following” them in a Police van.

I really don’t know what the answer is. Damned if they do ,and damned if they don’t.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I really don’t know what the answer is.

There was some enforcement, of the illegal eBikes, in Cardiff a year or two ago.

But its back to normal now with the food delivery bikes, young ninjas and eScooters zooming about with complete abandon, on the roads, shared use paths and pedestrian only areas.

Without regular and very obvious and public enforcement of the law I cannot see the situation improving.

What would probably help is if it was not so easy to find advice on how to de-restrict eBikes or make illegally high powered ones.

 

[123Taff]

The Metropolitan Police do have purges at times stopping bikes in pedestrianised areas. But then they may have the manpower to conduct such purges and the bike riders are largely compliant with nowhere to go to get away.

The problem arises due to non compliance and riders just making off causing the problem of whether to pursue or not in view of being criminally liable for any deaths from a pursuit as in the case of the Cardiff incident.

The problem with clamping down on sales is that derestricted machines are legal to be used on private land so the only way to legislate this is to make them totally illegal even on private land, and I can’t see that happening.

The only other way is to make them fully legal but with the proviso that they are registered as motor vehicles with index plates displayed, as are all motorcycles/mopeds.

Many of the food delivery concerns are only going over to illegal ebikes to save them the expense of registering mopeds/scooters.

Should they then been seen on pavements or places where they shouldn’t be, then in theory, they could be traced and prosecuted, just as other users of motor vehicles are.