Crushing e-bikes after 7 days: meaningful action or media soundbite?
The West Midlands PCC wants to halve the time before seized e-bikes and e-scooters are destroyed — from 14 days to 7. But does this change make a difference?
A closer look at the Commissioner’s 17(?) claimed benefits reveals a common theme: most of these outcomes already occur once a vehicle is seized, not when it’s crushed.
Crushing is not the problem, enforcement is. To be clear: the unlawful use of e-bikes and e-scooters is a growing problem, and one that deserves focused attention. But the emphasis here seems misplaced. Crushing alone does not prevent reoffending, particularly if offenders do not believe their bikes will ever be seized in the first place. The real deterrent lies in visible, consistent enforcement.
Seizure is the penalty. Crushing is just the aftermath.
This policy feels more symbolic than strategic. If enforcement is the real issue, should we focus on making seizure consistent, visible, and effective, rather than simply speeding up destruction?
And with the high value of these vehicles, are we missing an opportunity to make seizure cost-neutral or even community-beneficial?
Can Seizure Be More Than Just Destruction?
E-bikes and scooters are not cheap. Rather than racing to destroy them, could there be a smarter way to handle these seizures?
- Could vehicles be repurposed or resold, where legal and appropriate?
- Could offenders be made to bear the storage costs, turning seizure into a meaningful fine?
- Could seized vehicles fund road safety or youth engagement programmes, creating a cycle of reinvestment?
In a time of limited resources and rising public scrutiny, every policy needs to prove its value, not just its visibility.
We need meaningful action, not media soundbites.
The recent call by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner to halve the holding time for seized vehicles may sound decisive, but does it actually change anything?
This policy appears more about visibility than value: a solution searching for a problem, with little evidence of real impact. We should expect leadership grounded in substance, not short-term headlines – again!
Do the Commissioner’s 17(?) arguments for crushing stand up – or should we increase the pre-crush retention period? Read more here
20/07/2025 – How e-bike riders are doing double the speed limit – and many of them work for fast food delivery firms (Sky News).