Blackpool Police seize 32 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters in Operation Centurion dangerous vehicle crackdown
Officers said removing illegal e-bikes and e-scooters from the roads is an important step in improving public safety.
Blackpool Police have seized 32 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters during a targeted operation in the town, warning that the vehicles pose a serious danger to both riders and the public.
The enforcement operation, carried out last Friday by Blackpool's Neighbourhood Team and Roads Policing Team, resulted in all 32 electric machines being removed from the streets. They will now be destroyed to prevent them from returning to circulation.
Officers said that while some people may see e-bikes and e-scooters as harmless, they can be extremely dangerous when used illegally.
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Police highlighted concerns over the growing number of serious collisions involving the vehicles, as well as riders using e-bikes on pavements, putting pedestrians at risk. They also warned that many riders wear little or no protective equipment while travelling on machines capable of reaching high speeds.
The latest crackdown comes amid heightened concern over the dangers associated with illegal electric bikes.
Earlier this year, 50-year-old Fleetwood man Stuart McBride died from serious head injuries after the illegally ridden electric bike he was using collided with a parked car in Brock Avenue. An inquest heard he suffered fatal injuries following the collision in February, with Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor recording a conclusion of death by road traffic collision.
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Police are urging residents to continue reporting areas where illegal e-bikes and e-scooters are being ridden, as well as riders causing concern, promising that officers will act on information received.
The operation forms part of Lancashire Constabulary's wider work with the Police and Crime Commissioner and partner agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour across the county.
Through Operation Centurion, the force is targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots and encouraging residents to report incidents, recognising the significant impact such behaviour can have on victims and on how safe people feel within their communities.
Officers said removing illegal e-bikes and e-scooters from the roads is an important step in improving public safety and helping to make communities safer places to live.