E-Bikes and E-Scooters: Why Evidence Must Guide Regulation

When councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taf describe the proliferation of e-bikes and e-scooters as an absolute nightmare, they give voice to a frustration that resonates across Welsh communities and beyond. Yet a formal review of the legislative framework, presented to the council cabinet on 15 June 2026, has concluded that current evidence does not support additional local legislation. The tension between lived community experience and the evidential thresholds required for new controls reveals something important about the state of democratic accountability and the proper role of regulation in a liberal society.

What Did the Rhondda Cynon Taf Review Find?

The review, initiated in response to a notice of motion agreed by full council in October 2025, examined whether the existing legal framework was sufficient to address concerns around e-bicycles and e-scooters across the borough. Its conclusion was measured but unequivocal: while the concerns raised are valid and understood, the current evidence does not support the introduction of additional local legislation at this time.

Gary Black, head of community wellbeing and resilience at the council, presented the findings. He acknowledged that residents are worried about dangerous riding, use on pavements, obstruction, and links to antisocial behaviour. Wider safety concerns, including collisions and fire risk from batteries, were also noted.

These are not issues we dismiss and they do affect people's perception of safety within our communities. However it is important that we respond proportionately and crucially that we base any decision on evidence and a clear understanding of the powers already available to us.

The review found that Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) and bylaws require a high evidential threshold, one that, based on the data and the professional judgement of the police, is not currently met. Introducing such measures now, Mr Black warned, would risk duplicating existing legislation without delivering any additional practical benefit.

Why Are Communities Frustrated?

The evidence gap, however, does not mean the problem is imaginary. Deputy leader of the council, Councillor Maureen Webber, was forthright about the situation in her community. She described it as an absolute nightmare and argued that the lack of formal complaints reflects not an absence of problems but a collapse of trust in the reporting process.

Cllr Webber said the reason people do not report is because they feel it is a waste of time. She called for a community-focused police base where residents could speak directly to officers and know that their concerns were being addressed.

If we just let this drift it will get worse and it will increase. We are duty bound. We represent people in some of the most vulnerable areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Her frustration points to a deeper democratic deficit. When citizens believe that reporting a problem is futile, the data that policymakers rely upon becomes unreliable. Underreporting, in this sense, is not apathy; it is a rational response to institutional indifference.

Do Current Laws Already Cover E-Bikes and E-Scooters?

One of the more striking findings of the review is the extent to which the legal framework already exists. Electrically-assisted pedal cycles are lawful when they meet strict criteria around power and speed. Where they do not meet those standards, they are already classified as motor vehicles and subject to existing road traffic legislation, requiring registration, insurance, and a licence.

Privately owned e-scooters, meanwhile, are already illegal to use on public roads and pavements outside of approved trial schemes, and Rhondda Cynon Taf is not an approved trial area. Police already possess enforcement powers: they can deal with dangerous or careless cycling, seize vehicles used in an antisocial manner, and take action where vehicles are uninsured or used illegally.

The question, therefore, is not whether the law is adequate but whether it is being enforced.

Is Underreporting the Real Crisis?

Councillor Scott Emanuel identified what may be the central issue: a perceived ambiguity around the legal status of these vehicles and a lack of specific classification within police recording systems, both of which contribute to potential underreporting.

Councillor Andrew Morgan echoed this analysis. He suggested that many people purchasing e-bikes and e-scooters are unaware that their use, in certain configurations, is illegal. He advocated for a survey of the 75 councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taf to assess their understanding of the issue, arguing that building a solid knowledge base is essential.

There is a problem in RCT. It's underreported and something needs to be done about it.

The statistics presented to cabinet lend weight to the underreporting thesis. Across the last financial year, there were 65 road-related antisocial behaviour incidents recorded in Rhondda Cynon Taf, representing roughly one per cent of all antisocial behaviour incidents. The community safety team received no formal complaints specifically relating to e-bikes or e-scooters, and trading standards received no reports concerning product safety. Mr Black acknowledged that this does not necessarily mean there are no issues; it may reflect underreporting or a lack of awareness about how to report concerns.

What Should Happen Next?

The council's position, as outlined by Mr Black, is that the evidence supports continuing and strengthening the partnership approach. Alongside enforcement, there is a role for improving public awareness so that residents understand what is legal, what is not, and how to report concerns effectively.

Cllr Webber suggested working with the police on an awareness-raising campaign or a survey to encourage residents to report issues and gather feedback. This is a sensible proposal. If the problem is one of evidence, then the solution is to generate evidence through engagement, not to bypass the evidential requirement altogether.

For liberals, the principle is clear. Regulation must be proportionate, evidence-based, and directed at genuine harm. The existing legislative framework appears adequate. What is lacking is enforcement, public awareness, and the institutional infrastructure that gives citizens confidence their concerns will be heard. The answer to an absolute nightmare is not more laws but better governance.

Are Private E-Scooters Legal in Wales?

Private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads and pavements in Wales outside of approved government trial schemes. Rhondda Cynon Taf is not an approved trial area. Riders caught using private e-scooters on public land can face penalties including seizure of the vehicle.

Can Councils Introduce New Controls on E-Bikes?

Councils can explore Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) or bylaws, but these require a high evidential threshold demonstrating a widespread and persistent problem. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, the council's review found that the current evidence does not meet this threshold, and introducing such measures now would risk duplicating existing legislation without practical benefit.