Sheffield cycling: Calls for more action as police and immigration stage e-bike clampdown in city centre
Readers have welcomed a crackdown on e-bikes and e-scooters in Sheffield city centre - but some are calling for police to target their neighbourhood too.
Motorcycle cops, immigration enforcement officers and Sheffield City Council ambassadors seized 12 e-bikes and e-scooters, arrested one person for shoplifting, recalled another to prison, carried out five stop-and-searches and identified eight breaches of the Public Spaces Protection Order on Wednesday.
The force says it has now seized 205 e-bikes and scooters in Sheffield city centre since June 2024.
Responding on The Star’s Facebook page, readers welcomed the operation, praised police and offered advice on where to target next.
Kevin Beresford said: “Well done, at last. Time to start taking our streets back.”
Chris Sanders said: “Great, utter menace to pedestrians and other road users, let alone themselves.”
Michelle Wong thought she knew why the operation was on Wednesday.
“It’s only due to the Christmas market! They need to have a constant presence in the centre as it’s awful and a scary place for our vulnerable relatives.
“I was nearly mowed down by one of the illegal bikes last week on the pedestrian area! Hope they are getting arrested as well as the bikes seized.”
Nick Dutch was one of many with advice.
“Why do they need chasing as they all hang out at bottom of Fargate?”
David Myers thought the police should change their focus.
“It’s the ones in balaclavas carrying angle grinders you need to stop. Not the ones delivering pizza to the students.”
Tony West agreed.
“Let’s use them resources to stop more serious crime instead of delivering food to customers.”
“Shouldn’t there be some form of obligation on the employer to check their employees are doing their job legally?
“That should mean all forms of transport are road legal and employees are not working illegally.”
Rodney Trotter was among those who saw a more humorous side.
“Next time can you start after eight as we didn’t get our order and my kid’s gone hungry.”
Andy Staves was one of several readers who urged police to target their neighbourhood.
“Need to come up to Lowedges where idiots, sometimes three-up on bikes, race down Lowedges Road daily.”
Deano Blade: “Want to get around Wincobank at weekends. A dozen doing wheelies up Newman Road on Sunday morning, not a copper to be seen.”
Alex Wade: “Get up to Hackenthorpe, someone will get killed. Reported it more than once, no sign of police.”
Simon Parkin: “I'm sick of them flying up and down Richmond Park Road, on the pavement and road as well.”