Coventry City Council Calls for Licensing Regime for Delivery Bikes

Strategic Insights -

Coventry City Council has passed a motion calling on the UK government to introduce a licensing regime for delivery bikes, following a significant increase in road traffic accidents involving courier and food delivery vehicles. The motion, which was overwhelmingly supported by councillors, argues that current regulations are inadequate and pose a danger to pedestrians, particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children. The council's motion proposes that delivery bikes should be subject to a similar licensing regime as taxi and private hire drivers, with requirements for drivers to register with HMRC and undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Key Takeaways:

  • The motion, which was passed at the latest full council meeting, calls for a licensing regime to be introduced for delivery bikes, including electric bikes (e-bikes), scooters, and other vehicles.
  • Councillor Naeem Akhtar stated that there are no safeguards or checks in place for delivery drivers, despite them being in contact with all members of society, including vulnerable groups.
  • Statistics from the UK government show that around 70 people are killed each year by delivery vehicles, with a further 2,000 seriously injured.
  • Councillor Jackie Gardiner proposed an e-bike licensing scheme, which would require e-bikes to carry license plates similar to other vehicles, but this was voted down.
  • Councillor Peter Male acknowledged that the Conservative group has long been calling for action to address e-bike use in the city centre and praised the motion for bringing the issue forward.

Statistics:

  • Around 70 people are killed each year by delivery vehicles in the UK (Source: UK Government statistics).
  • A further 2,000 people are seriously injured by delivery vehicles each year (Source: UK Government statistics).
  • Delivery bike-related accidents in Coventry have increased significantly in recent years, prompting calls for regulated licensing (Source: Coventry City Council).

Sources:

  • Coventry City Council
  • UK Government statistics
  • Coventry City Council meeting minutes (December 2022)