Bolton Town Centre: Cracking Down on E-Bikes

Officers from our Bolton Town Centre Neighbourhood Team were out on patrol around the town centre last week as part of our commitment to keeping town centres safe under our Safe4Summer campaign.

The Home Office Safe4Summer initiative is part of the Government’s mission to restore and strengthen local policing in communities and reduce or prevent anti-social behaviour (ASB).

On Wednesday 17th September, neighbourhood officers worked alongside specialist colleagues including our Motorbike Unit, Roads Policing Unit and the Mounted Unit, along with external partners Bolton Council and Home Office Immigration Enforcement to show a high visibility police presence and identify those riding in an anti-social manner or using illegally modified e-bikes.

The operation also works to tackle individuals who abuse the gig economy - a labour market characterised by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.

Within the first ten minutes of the operation, two e-bikes were seized which were being used by takeaways to make deliveries.

During the day, a total of 14 seizures were made which included five pedal bikes for being used dangerously, five illegal e-bikes, two e-scooters, one motorbike which had no insurance and one stolen motorbike.

The team also made three arrests which included driving whilst under the influence of drugs, a hate related public order, and immigration offences.

Inspector James Astbury from the Bolton Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Everyone who uses our town centres should feel safe and not have to worry about e-bikes and e-scooters being ridden dangerously in pedestrianised areas.

“We are regularly out on patrol and run operations to address concerns raised by the public around the misuse of e-bikes which are appearing on our streets more and more.

“During this operation, we were stationed at different locations across the town centre and the 14 seizures show that we will not tolerate those who use e-bikes in an unsafe manner.”

On Monday 30 June, Greater Manchester launched Safe4Summer—part of the Home Office ‘Safer Streets Summer Initiative’—aimed ’at reducing crime across our town centres and communities in our region.