Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support police forces in using section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to seize e-bikes and e-scooters.

Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 provides police with the powers to seize motor vehicles being driven without motor insurance or a valid licence. This power extends to illegally modified e-bikes and e-scooters which meets the definition of a motor vehicle.

We have strengthened enforcement powers to seize vehicles through the Crime and Policing Act. Police officers no longer need to issue a warning before seizing vehicles such as illegally modified e-bikes, e-scooters which are used anti-socially, inconsiderately and in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance. The Home Office issued a circular to police forces to inform them of the new enforcement powers. We will continue to work with the College of Policing on further action we can take to encourage robust enforcement action.

Enforcement of road traffic law is an operational decision for the chief constable to determine how best to deploy these powers and target enforcement activity in response to local priorities.