Police to crack down on off-road biking and e-Scooter related anti-social behaviour

Welsh communities affected by off-road biking and intimidating street racing are set to benefit from new police powers to crack down on anti-social behaviour and deliver safer streets through the Plan for Change.

Perpetrators of anti-social driving face having their cars, e-scooters or off-road bikes seized and destroyed after 48 hours under stronger powers proposed by the UK Government. Currently, police must wait 14 days before being able to dispose of a vehicle, making it easier for offenders to reclaim their vehicles and with a limited deterrent to repeat offending.

The measures to fast-track the disposal of vehicles comes alongside additional proposals to give police stronger powers to seize any vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing them.

Jessica Morden, Labour MP for Newport East, continues to campaign for regulation of the vehicles, introducing the E-scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill to the Commons at the end of last year.

Today’s news also follows the announcement last month that Wales will benefit from over 150 new neighbourhood police officers by April 2026, with every neighbourhood having named, contactable officers from July next year.

Wales’s four police forces, Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales Police, will receive additional neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs within the next 12 months, to combat the highest-priority issues for local residents.

South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Wools said:

“These new powers send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities in Wales: swift justice will be delivered and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Sales of e-scooters and off-road bikes have rapidly increased, so today is an important step in tackling more serious crime in Wales, with the vehicles often used to facilitate drug dealing, organised acquisitive crime and serious violence.”

Jessica Morden, Member of Parliament for Newport East, said:

“I know today’s measures will be welcome news for Wales and my constituents in Newport East, who regularly share their thoughts on the use of e-scooters with me – often a source of great anxiety in the city.

“I introduced the E-scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill to the Commons in November last year, making the case that our legislation on the vehicles lags behind other countries, so today is a great step forward in ensuring legislation across the UK is keeping up.”