Oral Answers to Questions

Wera Hobhouse Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

1. What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the sale of kits used to convert pedal cycles into e-bikes that do not meet the definition of an electrically assisted pedal cycle.

[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”.

--- Later in debate ---

[Heidi Alexander]

The Rail Minister often tells me that the art of answering questions on transport is to have all the detail at your fingertips. I must disappoint the hon. Gentleman, as I do not have the specific answer he seeks, but I promise him that I will go away, find out and come back to him.

[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.