Misidentification of Legal E-Bike Highlights Need for Police Training
In a recent incident in Birmingham, West Midlands Police seized and destroyed a Tern HSD e-bike, a fully road-legal Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC), mistaking it for an illegal electric motorcycle. This event underscores the pressing need for enhanced police education on e-bike regulations.
The Incident
The Tern HSD, a popular EAPC in the UK, was part of a hire scheme initiated by the Birmingham Bike Foundry, a community-focused bike shop. Funded by Birmingham City Council, the scheme aimed to encourage residents to reduce car usage by offering e-bikes for £50 per month on a try-before-you-buy basis. However, the bike was seized by West Midlands Police on New Street in Birmingham city centre and incorrectly identified as an electric motorcycle, which requires a license and insurance. The rider was offered a Fixed Penalty Notice of £300 and six points on their license or a court hearing. Despite the bike’s legal status, it was destroyed.
Community Response
Allama Munir of Birmingham Bike Foundry expressed concern over the incident, stating, “We are a really small, not-for-profit community bike shop. If customers get wind of this, it’s potentially damaging to the hire scheme, because why would people want to hire an e-bike if they are going to be harassed by the police for it?” The Foundry has issued a formal complaint and financial claim to the police for the destroyed cycle and lost revenue.
Wheels for Wellbeing’s Perspective
Wheels for Wellbeing, a charity supporting disabled cyclists, has raised alarms over a series of police seizures of legal e-bikes and mobility aids in the past year. Policy Lead Kate Ball commented, “E-cycle and mobility aid seizures can cause serious physical, financial and legal harms directly to the people affected, and more widely harm people’s ability to make necessary journeys such as for work, education, healthcare and caring responsibilities.” The charity advocates for national guidance and training to help police accurately assess e-cycles.
Industry Initiatives
In response to such incidents, the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) launched the Cytech training programme to help police distinguish legal from illegal e-motorcycles. Jonathan Harrison of the ACT stated, “The main reason we launched the Cytech police course is that we’ve increasingly been seeing cases where road legal e-bikes are being confused with either modified or converted bikes that sit outside quality assurance frameworks or electric motorcycles being used illegally on public roads.”
Call for Consistency
Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK Associate Director, emphasized the need for a consistent approach by police, stating, “This shows there’s a need for a consistent approach by police, because this just doesn’t work.” The incident highlights the importance of proper training and understanding of e-bike regulations to prevent such misidentifications in the future.
Police Statement
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police stated, “We stopped a rider on 24 April in Birmingham city centre and issued a fixed penalty notice for an offence of riding without insurance. The rider was advised of his rights to challenge the decision in court and the bike was seized. We have since received a complaint about the seizure, and that is being reviewed.”
This incident serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding e-bike regulations and the necessity for law enforcement to be well-versed in distinguishing between legal and illegal vehicles to ensure fair and accurate enforcement.