Illegal e-bikes seized and crushed, says council

Sixteen e-bikes that were illegally upgraded to reach speeds of up to 40mph have been seized and crushed, a council has said.

Birmingham City Council said riders had been stopped and checked in the city centre in a pre-planned operation last week.

The crackdown was carried out in response to rising complaints from the public about "dangerous" e-bike riding and collisions in the city centre, the authority added.

E-bikes can only have motors that assist riders on speeds of up to 15.5mph, according to national rules.

Bikes with faster motors must be classed as motor vehicles, such as motorcycles or mopeds, and riders need a licence to use them.

Birmingham's council said it had carried out last week's crackdown in partnership with West Midlands Police and British Transport Police, as well as other organisations.

Both plain-clothes and uniformed officers were involved in stopping and checking riders and immigration checks led to three arrests for suspected immigration offences, the authority added.

Police forces in other parts of the country, such as Suffolk and Norfolk, have also announced crackdowns in recent months on souped-up e-bikes that can reach higher speeds.

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