Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that e-bikes sold in the UK comply with the legal requirements for electrically assisted pedal cycles; and what enforcement action is being taken against the sale of non-compliant e-bikes.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have market surveillance powers to tackle the supply of e-bikes where users are being deliberately misled about where they can and cannot be used.

According to the most recent data available (for 2024), the DVSA’s market surveillance programme identified 39 suppliers of e-bikes. 21 of these suppliers were found to be selling e-bikes that were compliant with the relevant Regulations.

Subsequent mystery shopper exercises, carried out by the DVSA and involving 18 suppliers, found 2 suppliers to be selling non-compliant e-bikes for use on the roads. One of these suppliers has since brought their selling practices into compliance while the other is being investigated further. In addition, over 400 listings of non-compliant e-bikes have been removed from online marketplaces following intervention by DVSA.