Edinburgh MSP welcomes Scottish Parliament inquiry into crime and antisocial behaviour around e-bikes and e-scooters
Committees will look at whether authorities have sufficient powers to tackle issue
An inquiry is to be launched by MSPs into crime and antisocial behaviour carried out by thugs on e-bikes and e-scooters who have plagued the lives of local people in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh North Eastern & Leith SNP MSP Ben Macpherson said there have been growing concerns across the country about the issue and that more needs to be done to tackle the problem.
He added that it was clear that crime and antisocial behaviour by a minority of individuals using such vehicles had “negatively impacted the lives of too many local people”.
The inquiry by the Scottish Parliament’s criminal justice committee will look into the causes and impact of the problem, as well as enforcement and prevention.
In recent years, Police Scotland has reported seizing a growing number of e-bikes and e-scooters being used illegally on roads. And it has said it continues to receive complaints from local communities about antisocial and illegal use of these vehicles.
In Edinburgh, a petition was launched in the summer to stop the illegal use of e-bikes in and around Leith Walk. Bathgate SNP MSP Pauline Stafford called for a dedicated portal where people could report anonymously the antisocial and criminal use of e-bikes, e-scooters and off-road motorbikes.
And Edinburgh South West Labour MP Scott Arthur has secured a debate at Westminster on the issue and says he wants the UK Government to go “further and faster” in its efforts to combat the problem.
The Holyrood committee said it would seek to establish the scale and nature of the issue and explore the current legal and policy landscape. The inquiry would aim to identify what powers police and authorities currently have, and to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s approach to tackling this issue, including its engagement with the UK Government on reserved matters.
The committee said it hoped to bring forward recommendations to improve enforcement and prevention.
Committee convener, SNP MSP David Linden MSP, said: “Crime and antisocial behaviour related to e-bikes and e-scooters is negatively impacting communities right across Scotland, and concerns have been raised that existing measures may not be sufficient to address it.
“Our committee is keen to learn about the causes and impacts of antisocial and criminal behaviour associated with e-bikes and e-scooters and what the Scottish Government is doing about these issues, including its engagement with the UK Government.
“We want to find out if authorities have sufficient powers to tackle these behaviours and if not, what must be done to improve enforcement and help prevent this issue from continuing to blight Scotland’s communities.”
Ben Macpherson, who is also vice-convener of the committee, said he was pleased the inquiry was taking place.
He said: “Combined with other issues like the ominous wearing of face coverings, it’s clear that the minority of individuals engaging in crime and antisocial behaviour on e-bikes and e-scooters have in recent years negatively impacted the lives of too many local people, in my constituency and elsewhere in Scotland.
“And for some time, I and others have been calling for more to be done to tackle it. Concerns about the issues have grown and that’s why I’m glad our committee will be scrutinising these issues in depth in the coming weeks, to help make sure that the police and other organisations have the powers, support and resources they need to clamp down further on the small minority that are causing trouble and harm on these vehicles, and often putting themselves in danger in the process.
“I’m looking forward to doing what we can in the committee to push for more action on these increasingly worrying issues, which I know are a real concern to many people across our city and elsewhere.”