Deliveroo campaign could ban drivers using illegal e-bikes

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Deliveroo drivers could soon be banned for using illegal e-bikes.

The delivery company made the announcement as part of its new Ride Safe campaign, which aims to tackle the use of modified e-bikes that exceed legal speed or power limits.

Under UK law, e-bikes can only assist while pedalling, must cut out at 15.5mph, and cannot exceed a power output of 250 watts.

Paul Bedford, policy and sustainability director at Deliveroo, said: "The safety of our riders and the public on the roads is a priority for us, and we take that responsibility incredibly seriously.

"That’s why we’re launching the Ride Safe campaign, in an effort to make our roads safer for everyone."

Deliveroo plans to introduce technology that detects riders travelling faster than a legal e-bike or bicycle could manage.

In Essex, police have already taken action against illegal e-bike use.

Essex Police seized 88 e-bikes and scooters across Tendring over the past two months (Image: Essex Police)

Since July 30, officers have seized 88 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters in Tendring as part of Operation Rifle.

Sixteen of those were taken during enforcement activity on October 2.

Inspector Grant Fryatt said officers were targeting people riding unlawfully or anti-socially.

Deliveroo said it would contact riders if they were found to be using illegal vehicles and could remove them from the platform if they have knowingly registered an incorrect vehicle or the issue continued.

The company is also calling on the government to ban the sale of unsafe e-bike conversion kits.

The kits are widely available online and let users fit motors and batteries that exceed legal limits to bicycles.

Richard Field, deputy assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, said: "We support this call from Deliveroo for a ban on the sale of unsafe conversion kits.

"Our firefighters are regularly attending very dangerous fires caused by converted push bikes."

He warned that lithium batteries on modified bikes pose a serious fire risk.

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