Police officers have seized more than 700 illegally ridden electric bikes and scooters during the last year in a nationwide crackdown.
Police Scotland reported that they confiscated 709 e-bikes and scooters in 2025 – up by 660 compared to 2023 when just 49 were seized.
Despite this, Police Scotland admit their crackdown on rogue electric cycles is being hamstrung by safety concerns and not having enough road policing officers.
Scottish Conservatives MSP, Sue Webber, described the machines as a “growing menace” with riders “putting the public at great risk”.
The shadow transport secretary said: “Yet SNP ministers are turning a blind eye to this problem and failing to give our police officers the powers and resources they require to intervene.
“Years of savage SNP cuts to police budgets mean the force are often left helpless in trying to punish those who are using e-bikes and e-scooters illegally.”
Ms Webber added: “It is time we cracked down on this problem before even more people are at risk of serious injury.”
Scottish Labour justice spokesperson, Pauline McNeill MSP, said the use of e-bikes and e-scooters has “become increasingly prevalent over the past decade”, driven by the rise in the food delivery industry through apps.
She said: “This technology has its benefits, however, we also must be aware of the potential downsides, and this includes any anti-social behaviour and criminal activity that occurs.
“We know that the number of e-bikes being seized by police has risen significantly over the last few years.
“However, police officers are already overstretched, with fewer officers on our streets now than when Police Scotland was established in 2013.
Ms McNeill added: “That is why Scottish Labour has been clear that we would work to restore community policing, freeing up officers who are spending time stuck in court and A&E, so that they can get back onto our streets and tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.”
E-scooters have become a common sight in Edinburgh with hundreds of unregulated riders of all ages, including very young children, openly flouting the law amid safety concerns.
As well as blighting communities through anti-social behaviour, electric bikes are increasingly linked to serious crime, including drug supply, robbery and violence.
Seized vehicles have been found to be capable of 40–70 mph, far exceeding the legal limit of 15.5 mph, and often feature illegal throttles. Electric assist bikes have a top speed of 15.5mph after which the assist is paused.
Many of the modified bikes lack proper brakes or safety features for such high speeds, leading police to label them as “death traps” for both riders and pedestrians.
The Police Scotland clampdown comes amid rising numbers of accidents and serious injuries involving both riders and other road users.
Since 2020, electric bike accidents in Scotland have risen with 34 recorded incidents, including 15 serious injuries and one fatality.
E-scooters are banned from public roads and pavements in Scotland and can only be ridden legally on private land with the owner’s consent.
Despite the obvious safety risks, many parents are allowing young children to illegally ride e-scooters on public pavements unsupervised, often without safety helmets or protective equipment.
Data shows a shocking 600% surge in the number of children aged seven to 15 attending A&E in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area due to e-bike and e-scooter incidents reported between May and October last year.
Many suffered severe trauma, including brain injuries and broken bones.
The true scale of the death and injury toll remains unclear as official data underreports incidents, as e-bikes are not consistently categorised separately from traditional bicycles in police records.
Police Scotland admit their blitz on rogue electric two wheelers is constrained by the twin challenges of “safe intervention and reduced roads policing officers”.
Chief Inspector, Greg Dinnie, said: “Officers continue to respond to incidents where illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters are seen or reported by members of the public on the roads or other public places.
“It is not only illegal to use e-scooters and certain types of e-bikes on the roads, but also dangerous with several people having suffered significant injury falling from these machines or having been struck whilst riding illegally on roads.
“Officers will continue to stop and seize illegally used e-bikes and e-scooters, and we would urge members of the public to only use those designed and intended for use on the road and stop placing themselves and others in danger.”
