Anti-Social Bike Use
Published: 22 April 2024
Criminal activity involving off-road bikes is an issue across the UK. There have been incidents of off-road bikes being ridden illegally on roads, in parks, on pavements and in other public spaces, resulting in injuries to both riders and members of the public. There has also been damage to parks, fields, green spaces and private property.
Off-road bikes and the law
Off-road vehicles include moto-cross, trial and endurance bikes, mini motos, quad bikes and some other mechanically propelled bikes.
Off-road bikes are specially designed for off-road use only, and NOT for road use. They must comply with Construction and Use regulations 1986, and be built to a specific standard in order to be ridden on a public road.
If the bike is NOT built to this specific standard, you can only ride an off-road bike legally if it is on private land and you have the land owner’s permission, and ride with due care and attention.
Land owned by the local council is not classed as private land. Council land includes beaches, promenades, car parks, playgrounds and parks.
Riders not complying with the above face having bikes seized and could be banned from driving, fined, or sent to prison.
Quad bikes
Most quad bikes do not meet road safety standards and therefore cannot be used on the road.
They need to be registered, taxed and have an MOT (if needed) to be used on the road, and the rider needs to check with the manufacturer if their quad bike has been approved for road use.
More information can be found on the government’s website: Quad Bikes: the rules.
E-bikes
These electric bikes are known as ‘electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs).
You can ride an electric bike if you’re 14 or over, as long as it meets certain requirements.
If a bike meets EAPC requirements, it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed. Meeting these requirements also means you do not need a licence to ride one and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured.
More information can be found on the government’s website: Electric bikes: licensing, tax and insurance.
E-scooters
Electric scooters can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission. It is illegal to use them on public roads, on pavements, in cycle lanes and in pedestrian-only areas.
The government are trialling a rental e-scooter scheme where it's legal to use a rental e-scooter on a public road or cycle lane in the trial areas, provided you have the correct licence and follow road traffic regulations.
Further information on these trials can be found on the government’s website: e-scooter trial guidance.
Help keep your community safe and tell the police what you know about bikes being used illegally:
- The exact location, date and time the bike/s were seen
- What direction they were travelling in
- Anything distinctive about the bike - colour, make, did the bike have a number plate?
- Where are they stored?
- Who is riding them illegally, what were they wearing, what do they look like?
Remember: you can always report what you know to Crimestoppers 100% anonymously.
Giving information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)
Some people may regard this kind of bike use as harmless fun. However, regular antisocial vehicle use can have a wider impact on a neighbourhood or community.
The effect of dangerous or reckless use of a vehicle can lead to criminal damage of roads, other vehicles and surrounding property.
Drivers and riders also risk injuring themselves, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians as they do not have full control of their vehicle and their full attention on their surroundings.
Driving or riding in this way can also be used as a form of intimidation, either to other road users or the community. Loud noise from engines and music, and deliberately creating large amounts of exhaust or tyre smoke can also be seen as an aggressive act.
Finally, the use of motorbikes and mopeds to rob (or ‘snatch') mobile phones and valuables from pedestrians on pavements is a key concern to the police. So anyone acting recklessly on this kind of vehicle is likely to draw police attention.
Call 999 if:
- a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed
- someone is in immediate danger or harm
- property is in danger of being damaged
- a serious disruption to the public is likely
For non-emergency enquiries use our Live Chat facility, found on the Kent Police website in the bottom right corner of every screen. Home | Kent Police