Achi news desk-
The community council has pressed the police, MPs and MSPs to take urgent action.
An MCTCC spokesman said: “These e-bikers are mainly food delivery drivers working for companies such as Deliveroo and Let’s Eat,” said a spokesman.
READ MORE: Illegal e-bikes seized as police crackdown on ‘speeding’ Glasgow food couriers
“Their engines are often not fitted with a speed limiter, limiting them to the UK’s maximum legal limit of 15.5 miles per hour.”
He added: “It is common to see them riding on pavements and footpaths, often without lights after dark. Many such cyclists are careful and polite cyclists but others put people’s lives at risk by driving far too fast in the wrong areas.
“Making them wear an identifiable jacket or bag would help track down an offender and allow their insurance policy and registration to be checked.”
The community council, the residents’ forum for a large part of Glasgow city centre, said food delivery companies generally do not employ the riders so insurance may not be in place in the event of accidents or injuries to pedestrians, motorists or pedal cyclists. .
MCTCC said its officers had discussed their concerns with senior Glasgow police and local MEP Kaukab Stewart (Glasgow Kelvin) and MP Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central), and were told that meetings had been held with managers of the main food delivery companies.
Despite this, a spokesperson for MCTCC said: “Yet no one is taking responsibility for this.
“We demand that measures are introduced quickly before more people are hurt – or worse.”
For an e-bike to be legal to ride it must meet the government’s criteria for an ‘electrically assisted pedal cycle’ (EAPC).
READ MORE: Police figures reveal scale of crackdown on ‘illegal’ e-bikes in Glasgow
The electric motor must also have a maximum power output of 250 watts, and must not be able to drive the bike when traveling at more than 15.5mph.
If an e-bike does not comply with these rules, it needs to be registered, insured and taxed as a motor vehicle. In this case, the rider also needs a driving license and must wear a motorcycle helmet.
In October last year, following a police operation on those riding ‘illegally’ modified electric bikes in Glasgow, officers in the city center seized a number of illegal e-bikes.
On the first weekend of the enforcement action, between October 27 and 29, police said officers in the city center seized 12 illegal e-bikes and a number of people were reported for road traffic offences.
The Glasgow city center operation also led to the detection of a number of license offences, insurance offenses and cases of failing to stop at red lights.
Deliveroo, which employs around 50,000 couriers, said at the time that it condemned the use of illegal e-bikes and fully supported efforts by Police Scotland to tackle the problem.
“Road safety is a priority for Deliveroo,” said a spokesperson.
“All our riders are required to meet minimum safety standards and, as with all road users, must follow all local traffic laws and road regulations. If incidents involving riders are reported to us, we investigate and work with the authorities to take appropriate action where necessary.”
