Man on 'push bike' caught on the M25 at Potters Bar

The rider was pulled over by police and the bike was seized

Police pulled a man over on the M25 after reports of a push bike being ridden along the hard shoulder.

They stopped the rider at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire on Sunday afternoon.

Officers said the electrically-powered bike, which had pedals, was being ridden illegally and was classified as a motorcycle, meaning the owner needed a licence and insurance.

The bike was seized and the rider was reported for the offence, police wrote on X.

Officers said they were called at about 15:15 GMT to a report of the bike being ridden on the hard shoulder of the clockwise carriageway.

"With a power output of over 250w and a maximum speed of 22mph, it falls outside of EAPC [electrically assisted pedal cycles] regulations," they wrote.

Duncan Dollimore, a spokesman for the Cycling UK organisation, said: "Police have confirmed that this machine had a power output over 250 watts, so it's an electric motorbike and would be legal on most roads, though not motorways, if registered as, and compliant with, the relevant rules for motorbikes.

"It's unhelpful [when] motorbike offences are always reported as cycling offences, as this undermines the massive health and other benefits that legal e-cycles, with limited power assistance that cuts out when the cyclist reaches 15.5mph, bring for many people."

Sgt Timothy Davies, from the Beds, Cambs & Herts Road Policing Unit, said: "I would like to remind everyone that it is illegal and unsafe to ride any type of pedal cycle on the motorway.

"Some electrically assisted pedal cycles, like the one stopped by our officers, are also illegal on any public road [unless the owner has] a helmet, insurance, MOT, registration, vehicle excise license and the rider has a valid licence like any motorcycle or moped [rider]."