Police target nuisance riders illegally riding off-road motorbikes and e-bikes

Some riders are causing anti-social behaviour, or using the bikes to commit crimes, such as robbery and drug-dealing.

Nuisance riding causes huge concern in our communities and presents a danger to members of the public, with illegal riders putting themselves at risk of injury too.

In 2024, 2,942 members of the public raised motorbike nuisance – including e-bikes and scooters – as a community concern and already in 2025, 939 members of the public have raised this as a community concern on the Lancashire Talking community feedback platform.

In February, police seized an off-road bike after a pursuit around the Branksome estate in Morecambe.

As part of Operation Centurion – Lancashire Police’s countywide crackdown on anti-social behaviour backed by Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw – they are committed to take illegally-ridden bikes off the streets and away from public areas.

Assistant Chief Constable Karen Edwards, who leads operational policing across Lancashire, said: “Motorbikes, e-bikes, scooters and electric assisted pedal cycles being ridden dangerously and illegally is a problem in Lancashire and something that is having an adverse impact on the law abiding citizens of our county.

"Our communities are telling us that want us to tackle this issue and that’s exactly what we will do.

“Some people are now using electric bikes and scooters to deal in drugs and commit offences such as robbery. We are building an intelligence picture and are actively targeting and arresting offenders. On a number of occasions the public have assisted officers by providing intelligence and information enabling us to build a rich profile of the criminal activity.

“In addition I am concerned that we have attended serious injuries and fatal collisions in Lancashire involving illegally ridden bikes. Riders have come to harm but more worryingly, on occasion, they have injured innocent members of the public.

“There is a growing trend of teenagers and younger children using these bikes and scooters, putting themselves and others at risk. We want to educate people about the dangers of riding illegally, but I also want to stress that parents must take responsibility for their children. Buying an expensive electric scooter or bike for a child could result in catastrophic consequences.

“Regular targeting of individuals using electric bikes who are causing antisocial behaviour, endangering our community or using them in the commission of crime continues – and a number of dedicated operations have been executed and more are planned. We will seize and crush these bikes if they are linked to criminality or being used in an anti-social manner where members of the public are put in danger.

“In recent high profile operations our Roads Crime team, Roads Policing team, Neighbourhood Policing Teams, and dog team, with assistance from the National Police Air Service took 473 bikes off the road which shows that we are responding to your concerns. I thank the communities of Lancashire for their continued support.”

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