Karmactive Team
The Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee has launched a formal inquiry into crime and antisocial behaviour involving e-bikes and e-scooters, announced on 2 November 2026. The inquiry will examine the nature and scale of offending involving these vehicles, assess the enforcement powers available to police, and consider what legislative or regulatory steps could be taken to address the problem.
Police Scotland seized more than 1,000 e-bikes and e-scooters in 2026, a figure representing nearly double the 569 seizures recorded across the whole of 2025. A dedicated week of enforcement action in late October 2026 alone resulted in the seizure of 142 vehicles. The cumulative scale of that enforcement activity contributed to the committee’s decision to examine the issue through a structured inquiry.
The Scottish Police Federation has stated that officers currently have limited powers when dealing with incidents involving these vehicles and has called for those powers to be strengthened. Among the specific capabilities the federation is seeking is the ability to direct riders to remove face coverings, which officers have indicated are commonly worn during incidents in a way that prevents identification.
A significant element of the inquiry is the legal framework that governs these vehicles. Under UK law, electrically assisted pedal cycles are capped at 250 watts with a power cut-off at 15.5 miles per hour. Any vehicle that exceeds these specifications is legally classified as a motorcycle and must be registered, insured, and operated under the appropriate licence.
Road traffic law and the regulation of vehicle imports and sales are reserved to Westminster under the devolution settlement, which means the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate directly in these areas. Police Scotland has formally asked the UK Government to take action on the licensing and regulation of high-power off-road vehicles. The Holyrood inquiry is expected to consider what action is possible within the Scottish Parliament’s existing competence and what representations should be directed to the UK Government on the reserved aspects of the issue.
Liam Kerr, a Conservative MSP, has publicly backed calls for expanded police powers to address the problem. The Criminal Justice Committee will take evidence from Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Federation, and other relevant parties as the inquiry develops. Its conclusions are expected to inform recommendations both to the Scottish Government and, where appropriate, to the UK Government on those elements of e-bike and e-scooter regulation that fall outside the Scottish Parliament’s legislative reach.
