Oral Answers to Questions

Lilian Greenwood Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

12. What steps her Department is taking to help tackle the use of illegal and non-compliant e-bikes.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

Illegal e-bikes have no place on our roads. My Department has published guidance to make it clear that e-bikes that exceed the legal power and speed limits are treated as motor vehicles and must be registered, taxed and insured. The police have powers to enforce those rules. The same applies to pedal cycles that have been converted using e-bike kits. Consumers should be made aware by those selling such kits that a conversion may mean that a cycle no longer meets the legal definition of an “electrically assisted pedal cycle”.

[Ms Minns]

I thank the Minister for her response; I know that she shares my concern about the increasing use of illegal e-bikes on our streets. When I visited Palace Cycles in Carlisle, the owner told me that he is increasingly under pressure from people who have illegally modified bikes to do repairs on them. In fact, on one occasion, while he was in discussion with the owner of such a bike, it shot across his shop without anybody being anywhere near it. The bikes are creating risks on our roads and on our high streets. Will the Minister please urge the Department for Business and Trade to use its powers under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 to ban the sale of these dodgy bike kits?

[Lilian Greenwood]

My hon. Friend is a great champion of e-bike safety. The Department for Business and Trade has consulted on new product safety regulations and sought views on the targeted regulation of some products, including e-bike batteries and conversion kits. The consultation closed on 23 June, and DBT expects to respond to it in the autumn.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Wera Hobhouse—not here.

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[Mr Bayo Alaba (Southend East and Rochford) (Lab)]

15. What support her Department provides to areas with high levels of road congestion.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

Congestion can cause real problems, and although local councils are responsible for managing their road networks, the Department has been focused on enabling them to minimise disruption. We have legislated to introduce numerous lane rental schemes and are devolving powers to establish future schemes to mayors. That will enable local decision making to target congestion.

[Mr Alaba]

My constituents regularly find themselves stuck in standstill traffic as a result of Rochford’s struggling road network. I have also heard from Baltic Wharf, a key port on the estuary, and from my farming community, who all report supply chain issues due to the refusal of delivery drivers to navigate Rochford district’s outdated highways. For an area with significant housing targets, strong local businesses and huge potential for growth, that is a real issue. What support can the Minister provide to rural and coastal constituencies, like mine, that want to enhance and modernise highway connectivity?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I am sorry to hear about the issues facing my hon. Friend’s constituents; I know how much he does to promote their interests. This Government are investing record sums in road maintenance, and we have strengthened the rules on disruptive street works by extending overrun charges to weekends and bank holidays and doubling fines. I encourage him to continue to make the case to Essex county council, which really must do something about disruption on its roads.

[Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)]

The A244 has always had too much traffic and too many heavy goods vehicles on it. It goes through Oxshott in my constituency, and following the roadworks on the M25 and A3, increasing numbers of cars and large vehicles are using it as a shortcut between the A3 and the M25. We need that to stop. Will the Secretary of State meet me and work with our local community to improve and reduce traffic on the A244?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I have met the hon. Gentleman in the past to talk about some of the disruptions caused by improvements to the road network in his constituency. I am sure that the Roads and Buses Minister would be happy to continue those discussions.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

16. What steps she is taking to support the aviation sector.

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[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

T3. Residents have long called for the A69 through Warwick Bridge to be detrunked. Given that the A689 provides an alternative route from the M6 to the east of the village, can the Minister confirm that detrunking this section of the A69 would not be a major change to the strategic road network?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)]

I share my hon. Friend’s concerns regarding recent safety incidents on the A69 at Warwick Bridge. National Highways is considering in detail with local partners the case for detrunking the A69 and trunking the A689. That is a complex process, and I will ask National Highways to update her when more information is available.

[Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) (Con)]

The Secretary of State appears to think it is scaremongering to suggest that, with effect from this weekend, passenger and freight traffic using the channel tunnel and the port of Dover will be disrupted as a result of the European entry and exit system. I do not want the grievance; I want the solution, and I want it before the event, not after it. What is the Secretary of State going to do to achieve an agreement with the European Commission and the French to suspend this ridiculous system until it works properly?

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[Lilian Greenwood]

The Government are committed to improving transport connectivity across the country. Through the £2.3 billion local transport grant, Staffordshire will receive more than £96 million by 2030, providing the certainty and flexibility to deliver better connections, support economic growth and improve outcomes for communities. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend, as, I am sure, would my colleagues.

[Josh Babarinde (Eastbourne) (LD)]

Seventeen-year-old Oakley Meer lost his life in a collision on Beachy Head Road in Eastbourne. Will the Minister meet me and Oakley’s family to discuss how we can improve road safety on that treacherous road?

[Lilian Greenwood]

I extend my sympathies to the family, who are the hon. Member’s constituents. I would, of course, be very happy to meet them to talk about what we can do to improve safety on that road, as we are doing across the country.

[Emma Lewell (South Shields) (Lab)]

T10. Heugh Street bridge has been closed since November. The council only applied to the structures fund after I raised the matter here, and despite pleas, it has still not implemented proper diversions. The bridge is absolutely vital on Great North Run day in September. Can the Minister suggest what else we can do next?

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[Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)]

In Manchester, London and now Wales, side road zebra crossings without Belisha beacons are allowed, yet in the rest of England they are not currently available. The Secretary of State mentioned the new cycling and walking strategy. Dunyeats Road in my constituency is suffering from multiple issues that are causing people and traffic to collide. Will she consider allowing councils to bring forward those crossings?

[Lilian Greenwood]

The hon. Lady probably knows that the active travel commissioner, Chris Boardman, is a huge fan of side road zebra crossings and the potential they have. That is why we have said in the cycling and walking investment strategy that we intend to legislate for them in future.

[Andrew Cooper (Mid Cheshire) (Lab)]

By making accessibility one of GBR’s core priorities, this Labour Government are finally putting the improvement of accessibility at the heart of the rail network. How will stations such as Northwich railway station be able to access accessibility improvement funding to deliver the accessible station that my constituents deserve?

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

The Secretary of State will know that e-bikes do not require insurance, but we are seeing some pedestrians suffer catastrophic injuries due to the additional weight of these bikes compared with a normal bike. Is she giving any consideration to reviewing the rules on this issue?

[Lilian Greenwood]

The hon. Lady is right to raise concerns about the use of illegal e-bikes and the danger they cause on our roads. New powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 mean that the police can seize e-bikes classed as motor vehicles when they are being used antisocially without the need to give a warning.

[Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) (Lab)]

Fuel is being transported hundreds of miles from Stanlow in Cheshire to Scottish airports, increasing emissions and undermining our local fuel distribution industry. What will the Department do, alongside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Business and Trade and the Scotland Office, to protect fuel security and Scottish jobs, including those of tanker drivers?

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[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

One of my constituents was nearly knocked over on a dedicated cycle path by an illegal e-bike. Riders in the gig economy in particular ride fast and dangerously. What steps are being taken to tackle the demands of illegal bikes in the gig economy?

[Lilian Greenwood]

Dangerous behaviour by any road user is, of course, completely unacceptable. We are aware of the concerns raised about the use of illegal e-bikes, particularly in relation to the gig economy. My Department has commissioned specific research into those issues so that we can better plan action to tackle that.