“Every parent should be able to walk their child to school without fear.”

Illegal e-scooters and e-bikes are putting Peterborough families at risk, writes Andrew Pakes MP.

Few issues land in my inbox as often as e-scooters and e-bikes. Whether it's Paston, Bretton or the city centre, I hear the same story: riders tearing along pavements and through parks, and people left frightened, or worse, hurt.

One case has stayed with me more than most. Last spring, a mum got in touch after her seven-year-old son was hit from behind by an e-scooter on his way to school near Paston Ridings. The rider, an adult with her own child on board, got straight back on and rode off without checking he was alright. He was left bruised, in pain for days and needing hospital treatment. Then, to add insult to injury, the case was closed for lack of evidence before anyone had even asked to see hers.

When she wrote to me, I took it up with the police and her case was reopened. The rider has since been given a driving ban and a hefty fine. I want to pay tribute to that mum for never giving up on her son. But no parent should have to fight that hard for justice, and since she shared her story, other residents have come forward with near misses of their own.

The law is clear, even if too many riders ignore it. A privately owned e-scooter counts as a motor vehicle, so it's illegal to ride one on roads, pavements or any other public land. The only legal ones are rental scooters in official trial areas. Legal e-bikes have strict limits on speed and power, but conversion kits are easily found online and can turn them into machines capable of more than 40mph.

Speed isn't the only danger. Tampered-with batteries can catch fire, with devastating results. Just this month, an inquest heard that a faulty, rewired battery was the most likely cause of a fire that killed a young mum and her two children. Our fire service says most of the e-bike fires it can trace involve conversion kits or other modifications.

Our local police are taking this seriously, and hundreds of illegal e-scooters and e-bikes were taken off Peterborough's streets last year. Thanks to the Labour Government's new Crime and Policing Act, officers can now seize a vehicle being ridden anti-socially without giving a warning first.

But enforcement alone can't solve this. Every illegal e-bike taken off our streets can be replaced by another bought online within minutes. That's why I'm asking families to think carefully before buying. With Christmas around the corner, I know many parents will be tempted by an e-scooter or souped-up e-bike for their teenager. Please don't. Your child can't legally ride a private e-scooter in public, it could be seized, and it could put them or someone else's child in hospital. If you do buy an e-bike, make sure it's legal, buy from a reputable retailer, and never modify it.

I'll keep working with Cambridgeshire Police to make full use of their new powers, particularly around our schools, and I'll keep raising your concerns in Westminster. If you've been affected, please get in touch. Every parent should be able to walk their child to school without fear.