Police seize e-bike capable of doing 72mph - five times legal limit - during crackdown on illegal bikes and scooters

By CLAIRE DUFFIN, SENIOR REPORTER Published: 12:26, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 12:29, 7 July 2026 An e-bike capable of reaching speeds of more than 70mph has been seized by police during a crackdown - raising fresh fears about the danger posed by them on Britain's streets.  Officers in Nottingham seized 60 bikes and e-scooters after people in the city raised concerns about them being ridden through pedestrianised areas.  Thirty eight offenders have also been prosecuted, with some being fined up to £1,000 and receiving eight points on their driving licence, police said.  Legally electric bikes should be limited to 15.5 mph and have a motor power of no more than 250W. Non-compliant models are classified as motor vehicles, requiring insurance, taxation and a valid licence. Officers have been using a compact dynamometer to test the top speed of e-bikes in order to catch those failing to comply with the law. Among those tested, less than a quarter were found to be legally compliant, Nottinghamshire police said.  One was found to reach a speed of 72mph during testing and was seized.  PC Ben King, of Operation Wrangel, said: 'A vehicle like that, when ridden recklessly on our roads, could have seriously injured or even killed someone. 'We urge anyone using or considering purchasing an e-bike or e-scooter to familiarise themselves with the law and ensure their vehicles are road legal.' One e-bike was found to reach a speed of 72mph during testing and was seized The operation was launched in November and is targeting illegal e-bikes after members of the public said they are the biggest two-wheeled nuisance Officers are also working with engineering experts from Nottingham Trent University on e-bike safety and development, as well as potential methods for preventing illegal e-bikes.  It comes after figures show the cost of damages paid out to people injured by e-scooters and e-bikes has topped £110m. It is only seven years since the first claim was made.  The largest individual payout was £20 million after a child suffered catastrophic life-changing injuries.  Such claims have also led to increases in annual premiums for ordinary members of the public, experts say. The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), wants the sale of such vehicles to be better regulated and in some cases banned. The MIB is a not-for-profit organisation which pays compensation to victims of accidents involving uninsured vehicles.  The main insurance companies pay a levy to it and that means higher premiums for everyone paying motor insurance. The first claim paid by the MIB to a person hurt by an e-scooter was in 2019, while the first to someone hurt by an e-bike was in 2020.  In 2025, there were 168 claims for accidents involving both types of vehicle, the highest figure so far. In one of the most shocking cases, Billy Stokoe, 19, was jailed for six years and nine months after killing 86-year-old Gloria Stephenson when he hit her with his e-bike in July 2025 in Sunderland. Stokoe, who had been using a mobile phone and had taken cannabis, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving. His case is being reviewed under the unduly lenient sentences scheme. Hayley Sutcliffe, from the MIB, said more than half their claims were from pedestrians.