Lmst

Police seize hundreds of illegal e‑scooters across South and Mid Wales

Rising seizures in South Wales and Dyfed‑Powys

Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests show that South Wales Police have confiscated 272 e‑scooters since 2022, while Dyfed‑Powys Police have seized 99 over the same period. Officers say the vehicles are being taken off the streets for a range of reasons — from being uninsured under the Road Traffic Act, to being used in drug offences, assaults and thefts.

In South Wales, seizures peaked at 90 in 2023, with another 81 taken in 2024 and 43 already removed in the first half of 2025. Dyfed‑Powys recorded 37 seizures in 2022/23, 19 in 2023/24, and 43 in 2024/25.

Both forces stress that the figures are not just about nuisance riding. In Swansea, three drug dealers were jailed after being stopped on an e‑scooter, while in Milford Haven a crash involving a scooter led police to uncover a £15,000 drug stash.

Collisions and safety concerns

South Wales Police also confirmed that e‑scooters were involved in five road traffic collisions between 2022 and 2024 – three in Swansea and two in Cardiff. Because private e‑scooters cannot be insured, riders involved in crashes face the same consequences as uninsured drivers, including fines, penalty points and liability for compensation.

Nationally, government figures show that 416 people were seriously injured in e‑scooter collisions in 2023. Fire services have also raised alarms over battery safety, after an e‑bike battery exploded in Port Tennant, sparking an early‑morning blaze.

Police powers and crackdowns

To tackle the problem, police have been given new powers to crush seized e‑scooters and off‑road bikes within 48 hours if they are used antisocially. South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Wools said the vehicles are often linked to organised crime and serious violence, and swift disposal sends a clear message.

In Swansea city centre, Operation Lathyrus saw officers seize 17 e‑bikes and make seven arrests in a single day, with police warning that more than 30% of bikes stopped were illegal or dangerously modified.

Debate over regulation

While enforcement has intensified, the debate over e‑scooter safety continues. A RoSPA study found that e‑scooters had a collision rate five times lower than bicycles and nine times lower than motorcycles — but most incidents occurred in areas without regulated rental schemes, suggesting that illegal private use is far riskier.

Police and trading standards have repeatedly warned parents not to buy e‑scooters as Christmas presents, reminding them that private models cannot legally be used on roads, pavements or cycle paths.

Government vows crackdown on unsafe e‑scooter use

The UK Government says a second national evaluation of the e‑scooter trials is under way, focusing on user and public safety, accessibility impacts, and how the vehicles could be integrated into the wider transport network.

A spokesperson said:

“The Government is giving the police stronger powers to stop vehicles being used disruptively, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing illegally owned private e‑scooters. This will allow them to deal swiftly with dangerous e‑scooters on pavements.

“New Respect Orders will give the police and local councils powers to ban persistent offenders from certain areas where they are causing harm, and failure to comply with Respect Orders will be a criminal offence.”

Ministers argue that the measures will help police act more quickly against unsafe and antisocial use, while also ensuring that lessons from the ongoing rental trials inform any future legislation.

“Behind the numbers are real risks”

Campaigners warn that the rise in seizures reflects not only tougher enforcement but also the growing number of people using e‑scooters illegally.

A spokesperson for Personal Injury Claims UK, which compiled the national data, said:

“If an e‑scooter rider causes a collision, they face the same consequences as a car driver – including liability for personal injury compensation. The figures highlight the risks for both riders and the public.”

Related articles

#DyfedPowysPolice #eBike #eScooter #eScooterSeizure #illegalEBikes #illegalEScooter #LithiumBattery #offRoadBikes #RoadTrafficAccident #RoSPA #SouthWalesPolice

South Wales and Dyfed‑Powys Police have seized hundreds of illegal e‑scooters since 2022, as cases link the vehicles to crime, collisions and antisocial behaviour.

Really pleased to say I passed my RoSPA advanced test with a Silver today — turns out I can ride after all! 🤣 Still loads of room for improvement, but I’m absolutely over the moon.
#RoSPA #motorcycling #motorcycle

RoSPA Course completed. The initial feedback very positive from 5 tutors, the 6th says “You’re either lazy or don’t understand the system.” As an instructor for 15 years I’d never say that. Roadcraft suggests using judgment for 'lifesavers,' but he wanted them before doing anything, very disorienting, disappointing and initially affected my confidence. I’m going to do the test anyway. Either he’s right, or the previous 5 tutors are. 🤞 #RoSPA #Motorcycling

Just back from a ride with RoSPA tutor Ron. He's a hard man to please but he was smiling at the end! Motorways and Dual Carriageways and some filtering today. All good except I must remember not to filter like I normally do, folding my mirrors in did not please him one bit! 🤣 #motorcycles #RoSPA

Town riding and filtering on the RoSPA course this week. Hardest week for me as I do that every day but it's different when you want to pass a test! In fact at one point the instructor said "I'd do the same but not on your test!" He was a top bloke and luckily he's the blood bikers assessor (which is why I'm doing this) save he said he'd pass me! 👍
I learned a lot again - it's definitely worth it. Hopefully I'll be volunteering soon. #bloodbikes #RoSPA #MotorcycleSafety

Daunting data denotes dread for drowsy drivers

The charity is raising awareness about the significant risks associated with drowsy driving, after over 430 people were killed or seriously injured, and there were 1,276 collisions, linked to tiredness in 2023.

RoSPA is working with the Fatigue Group, a non-profit organisation led by award-winning NHS anaesthetists, to raise awareness of the dangers of driving after working long hours. The Fatigue Group was formed after tragic incidents in which colleagues were killed while driving home exhausted. The Group is continuing the work of the #fightfatigue campaign originally designed for NHS staff, although much of the advice will help anyone who works long hours or night shifts keep themselves and others safe. These include the HALT principles, which advise against driving if you are Hungry, Angry, Late or Tired, and recommendations to take regular rest breaks at work.

Although the issue is particularly serious in the health service – with a recent Medical Defence Union (MDU) survey revealing that 90% of doctors feel sleep deprived at work – fatigue presents a risk across the entire workforce. That’s most apparent in physically demanding industries such as haulage and construction, but can also affect people putting in long hours at an office before driving home.

RoSPA emphasises that anyone who begins to feel tired when they are driving stop as soon as is safe and possible, and ideally try and find somewhere safe to sleep until they feel rested. Although two strong coffees and a 15 minute nap might help in the short-term, this should never be done more than once per journey.

RoSPA is also calling upon employers to ensure their staff are well rested and safe, for example by ensuring workers take regular breaks, and incorporating effective staff fatigue risk management in working patterns.

In addition, RoSPA wants the government to introduce standardised tests for assessing fatigue at the scene of road traffic collisions, similar to breathalyser tests for alcohol, establish a national registry of drowsy driving incidents, and run public awareness campaigns targeting high-risk groups such as shift workers. The Fatigue Group advocates that healthcare organisations should have the same regulatory requirements for fatigue risk management as exist for all other safety-critical industries.

Caitlin Taylor, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “Drowsy driving is responsible for many serious and fatal collisions each year. Fatigue impairs driving ability similar to drink or drug driving but gets much less attention. This must change.

“Fatigue slows reaction times, reduces awareness, and affects decision-making, putting everyone at risk. RoSPA calls on employers, policymakers, and the government to act now by improving workplace fatigue management, investing in public awareness campaigns, and collecting better data on fatigue-related crashes. No one should lose their life due to preventable driver fatigue.”

JP Lomas of The Fatigue Group said: “We have our own personal experience of the perils of driving while tired, having had colleagues die driving home after night shifts. Although not every journey ends in tragedy, the pressure on healthcare staff leads to many feeling forced to take risks, with research showing that 57% of trainees and 45% of consultants had experienced an accident or near miss driving tired post-shift. Working long hours without adequate rest breaks not only puts the patients they care for in danger – with evidence demonstrating that surgery performed at night or after hours is associated with higher mortality rates – but also other people outside of hospitals.

“With such a large number of tired employees on the roads all day and night, this is an urgent problem in the healthcare sector. We call for hospitals to provide dedicated rest time and spaces for staff. The so-called ‘hero’ culture where people continue working despite being exhausted for fear of looking ‘weak’ or letting others down, needs to be replaced by a safety culture where staff mitigate the impacts of fatigue with power naps and rest breaks.

“Our message is simple – getting enough rest is a necessity not a weakness, and could save lives.”

#fightfatigue #motoring #RoSPA

I'm not being funny but the RoSPA "Bible" Motorcycle Roadcraft is really heavy going for me! I'll persevere though, don't want to get a bollocking the 2nd week! #rospa #motorcycling

Week 1 of the RoSPA advanced riding course was great actually! We kicked off with a quick presentation, followed by an assessed ride then feedback. Mine was pretty good! Practicing slow-speed maneuvers was a good fun, my carpark practice definitely paid off. Five weeks to go and we'll see if they can get me to a level ready for the test. That's a big ask.
#RoSPA #motorcycle

RoSPA course tomorrow. I'll learn plenty I'm sure, whether I do the test or not is up to what they think. Certainly can't ride like I normally do! 😳🤣
#motorcyling #RoSPA

#RoSPA

Client Info