E-bike ride lands man in court

Riding an e-bike resulted in a court appearance for a Nettleham man who was ordered to pay almost £500 by Lincoln magistrates.

Thomas Briggs, 22, of Heath Road, pleaded guilty to having no insurance and riding otherwise in accordance with a driving licence. When he appeared before the Bench on Friday, January 2 he was banned from driving for 14 days and received fines with costs totalling £474.
The court heard Briggs had been seen by police riding his black Talaria Sting in Nettleham in May last year and was wearing a balaclava instead of a helmet.

Like any Talaria Sting, the bike was not road legal or registered and is not suitable for use on the road. It was powered by a 60v electric motor controlled by a throttle with a power output of 8000w and a top speed of approximately 55mph, so is not classed as an electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC). If the vehicle was correctly registered for use on the road it would require a full motorcycle licence.

A police spokesman said the case should remind e-bike owners that riding their machines on public roads is an offence and could be costly.

For more information see https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules