Deliveroo plans to use GPS-based speed monitoring to identify delivery riders in the UK who may be using illegal electric bikes, while urging the government to ban the sale of unsafe e-bike conversion kits.
The measures form part of the company’s Ride Safe campaign. According to Cycling Electric, the planned monitoring system will flag sustained unusually high speeds for review. Deliveroo says it will contact riders about their vehicles and remove their access to the platform if non-compliant use persists or if they knowingly register an incorrect vehicle.
Paul Bedford, Deliveroo’s Policy & Sustainability Director, said the technology would help identify illegal e-bikes by detecting sustained speeds that exceed legal limits. He acknowledged that GPS readings must be assessed in context, as downhill riding and poor signal reception in built-up areas can affect recorded speeds. Deliveroo says its approach is designed to identify sustained patterns and avoid penalising riders who comply with the rules.
Under UK regulations, an electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC) must have a maximum continuous rated motor power of 250 watts, with motor assistance cutting off when the bicycle reaches 15.5 mph (25 km/h). Vehicles that exceed the applicable requirements may fall outside the EAPC classification and be subject to moped or motorcycle regulations, depending on their specifications and use.
Deliveroo is also urging the UK government to prohibit the sale of unsafe conversion kits that can be used to modify conventional bicycles or electric bikes beyond legal power and speed limits. The company has highlighted the risks associated with such products, including battery fires.
Transport for London (TfL) has welcomed calls for stronger national action to prohibit unsafe conversion kits. Lilli Matson, TfL’s Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer, said e-bikes operating beyond legal power and speed limits could pose serious risks to riders and other road users, as well as fire hazards. TfL said it would continue working with police, the delivery sector, the London Fire Brigade and the government to improve compliance and promote the safe and legal use of e-bikes.
The UK Bicycle Association has also warned that unsafe and non-compliant products can undermine public safety and damage the reputation of the legitimate e-bike industry.
The issue extends beyond the UK. In a report published on October 14, 2026, IrishCycle.com said Deliveroo had not responded to repeated requests to clarify whether it would introduce the same speed-monitoring technology in Ireland. The UK plans therefore do not confirm that equivalent measures will be adopted in Ireland.
Irish regulations, like those in the UK, generally limit electrically assisted pedal cycles to a maximum continuous rated motor power of 250 watts, with motor assistance cutting off at 25 km/h. Vehicles that exceed these requirements, or that meet other criteria for motor vehicles, may be classified as mopeds or motorcycles and become subject to additional legal requirements.
Deliveroo’s plans add to the ongoing debate over non-compliant e-bikes used in delivery services and the safety of conversion kits. However, the proposed ban targets unsafe products and should not be interpreted as a call to prohibit all conversion kits, as some can comply with the applicable legal requirements.
Photo: Cycling Electric
