POLICE have started a crackdown on illegal e-scooters and modified electric bikes.
Four e-scooters and two illegally-modified e-bikes were seized in a single day during an operation targeting crime and antisocial behaviour on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
The seized bikes and scooters will be destroyed, and police say they are carrying out investigations into the people caught riding them.
Neighbourhood policing teams from Staple Hill and Fishponds joined forces with mounted officers, volunteer special constables and South Gloucestershire Council’s community safety team during what was described as a “co-ordinated week of action”.
Avon & Somerset Police said the action was “in response to a rise in reports of illegally modified e-bikes and illegal e-scooters causing concern among local people”.
Illegal e-bikes are those that have been modified go above the legal speed limit of 15.5mph, have a battery of more than 250w or can operate with a throttle instead of the pedals.
The action days included extra patrols up and down the path, with around 15 officers involved in a “proactive policing operation focused on safety, visibility, and enforcement” on August 10.
A police spokesperson said the majority of the seizures took place between Fishponds and the old Mangotsfield Railway Station, as the path passes through Fishponds, Staple Hill and Mangotsfield.
Three people who were stopped are being investigated for having no insurance and a fourth for “various driving offences”.
The spokesperson said: “We have received reports of anti-social behaviour, robberies and sexual harassment on the path, with community members saying they don’t feel safe using it at certain times of day.
“This was a highly successful operation that provided reassurance to the public and helped remove dangerous vehicles from the path, making it safer for everyone.”
It was part of a wider campaign which also included extra uniformed and plain-clothes patrols around shops in Kingswood to tackle increased levels of shoplifting.
Neighbourhood inspector Matthew Quick said: “As neighbourhood policing officers our role is to be visible in the community, responding to the issues people are most concerned about and to ultimately keep people safe.
“We will continue to tackle these issues over the summer to create safer streets for everyone.”
Police are encouraging people to report safety concerns online or via 101.
Crime and antisocial behaviour that is in progress should be reported by calling 999.