Britain’s roads are starting to look like the opening scene of Tron. E-bikes blitzing down high streets at 30mph. Super-powered e-scooters weaving through traffic like they’re auditioning for Fast & Furious. Delivery riders turbo-charging through red lights because an app is shouting at them. And still—still—we pretend the Highway Code is an optional extra for anyone not behind a steering wheel.
Cars? Buried in regulations. Licences, MOTs, tax, insurance, points on the licence, speed cameras that flash with the enthusiasm of a Reform politician at a DOGE rally. But hop on a high-powered e-bike and suddenly it’s the Wild West. No licence. No number plate. No insurance. No clue who’s responsible when things go wrong. And things are going wrong.
The numbers speak for themselves. Accidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters have shot up. Pedestrians are getting clipped on pavements; motorists are swerving out of the way of silent, speeding e-machines; and A&E staff are practically running a loyalty card scheme for e-cyclists and their victims.
Meanwhile, the poor soul in a Ford Fiesta gets punished more harshly for forgetting to update their address with the DVLA than someone tearing down a cycle lane at 35mph on a modified electric scooter.
It’s madness. And it’s time we stopped pretending it isn’t. We need a basic, fair, modern set of rules—across the board.
This isn’t an anti-cycling rant. Far from it. Bikes and scooters could be brilliant for cities. They cut congestion, help the environment, and take pressure off the transport network. But their growing power and popularity mean the old laissez-faire approach simply doesn’t cut it anymore.
If you’re sharing the road, you should share the responsibility. Equal rules for equal risk.
That means:
1. Number plates for high-powered e-bikes and scooters
If you can exceed 15mph, you’re not “just a bike” anymore. You’re a vehicle. And every vehicle should be identifiable when something goes wrong. It’s not revolutionary—it’s common sense.
2. Compulsory insurance
Why should drivers be on the hook for every collision involving someone on an uninsured, untraceable e-scooter? If you’re using a machine capable of causing damage—whether to people or property—you should have basic cover.
3. Road registration or a small annual charge
Motorists pay for the privilege of using the roads. Cyclists and scooter riders, particularly those on powered machines, should contribute too. A modest fee—call it a mobility licence, road use permit, whatever—would help fund safer infrastructure for everyone.
4. A proper, enforceable code of conduct
Red lights apply to everyone. Pavements are for walking. Speed limits aren’t a suggestion. If we’re serious about road safety, the rules can’t be optional for some and iron-clad for others.
The goal isn’t punishment—it’s fairness.
At the moment, we’ve created a two-tier system: motorists who are over-regulated to within an inch of their lives, and e-bike/e-scooter riders who operate in a regulatory no-man’s-land. No wonder tensions on the roads are rising.
If we want cleaner cities, safer streets, and a modern transport mix, then we need a level playing field. That means recognising that a 30mph electric vehicle is a 30mph electric vehicle—whether it has four wheels, two wheels, or a battery strapped to the frame with duct tape.
It’s time for politicians to catch up with technology. Bring in number plates. Mandate insurance. Enforce the rules. Because the future of mobility is electric, fast, and fun—but it still needs boundaries.
Until then, good luck dodging the Deliveroo Ducati coming up the inside lane.
