20/07/2026
I have had a reply from Heledd Fychan's office, which is nice. It's the kind of reply I was anticipating from Rhun, but he's apparently to busy, as is Dan Thomas. But I am grateful to Laura for the links included in her informative reply.
Dear David,
Thank you for your email. As you are writing to Heledd in her capacity as Minister of Culture and Sport about the possibility of bringing e-bike racing to Wales, please resend your email to Correspondence.Heledd.Fychan@gov.wales and her ministerial office will be in touch in due course.
If you require additional support regarding the impounding of your e-bike, I recommend writing to the Members of the Senedd who represent your constituency. You can find their contact details here by typing in your postcode: Find a Member Search
I’ve read through both of your blog posts and understand your frustration at the lack of response from various members of the Senedd. Please bear in mind the MSs and government ministers receive a high volume of correspondence every day, and they must prioritise urgent, time-sensitive casework relating to their constituents, or queries relating to their portfolio. As a rule, MSs may not deal with casework relating to constituents outside their area, unless otherwise agreed, which may be why Rhun ap Iorwerth and Dan Thomas haven’t responded to your emails or tweets. If you are based in Cardiff, as I deduce from reading your blog posts, it would therefore be more appropriate to contact any of the MSs who represent your constituency (again, you can find their email addresses by using the above link).
While constituency and ministerial offices always aim to respond to emails within a certain timeframe (10-15-17 days or more), it isn’t always possible, again due to the high volume of emails received, time constraints and potential office staff shortages or absences (particularly the case for new MSs as they set up their offices and recruit new staff). I appreciate this is frustrating but want to provide more context around the reasons why you may not have had a response. This also applies to tweets and messages on social media.
I have done some research, and it appears that e-bike legislation is not devolved to Wales. While the Welsh Government can decide how to encourage and support cycling, it cannot change the legal definition or technical requirements for e-bikes, because those rules are part of reserved UK road traffic and vehicle legislation. Currently, there is no single "E-bike Act"; the legal framework is made up of several pieces of UK legislation:
- The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 (SI 1983/1168), as amended by the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/24).
- These regulations define what qualifies as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC).
- They set the key requirements, including:
- pedals capable of propelling the cycle;
- a maximum continuous rated motor power of 250 watts;
- motor assistance cutting off at 25 km/h (15.5 mph).
- The Road Traffic Act 1988
- This Act provides that an EAPC of a class prescribed by regulations is not treated as a motor vehicle for the purposes of road traffic law.
- If a vehicle does not meet the EAPC Regulations, it is generally treated as a motor vehicle and is therefore subject to requirements such as registration, insurance, licensing and vehicle approval.
- The Pedal Cycles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1983 (SI 1983/1176)
- These set requirements for pedal cycles (including EAPCs) used on public roads, such as braking standards and certain equipment requirements.
The Department for Transport's current guidance summarises this as follows: if an electric bicycle complies with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983, it is treated as a bicycle; if it does not, it is treated as a motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act 1988.
You may also be interested to know that the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Bill has just had its first reading in the UK Parliament.
Since e-bike legislation is therefore not devolved to Wales, I recommend you contact your MP to discuss your concerns. You can find their contact details here: Find your MP - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament
I hope that this helps and that you’re able to find the answers you’re looking for going forward.
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura Jones
This is the bill that Ms Julie Minns mp Labour wishes to introduce into legislation:
A Bill to prohibit the marketing, sale, and supply of electrically assisted pedal cycles that fall outside the class of electrically assisted pedal cycles prescribed under the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983 and of equipment capable of converting a pedal cycle into such a vehicle; and for connected purposes.
This is Ms Minns:
While we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, Ms Minns doesn't look the kind who cycles regularly, let alone rides an e-bike. If she has her way the little tykes from part 2 wont be enjoying their favorite sport, will they Rhun? And she would have been the type of person, that would have voted for red flag man to walk in front of cars, way back when.
Not exactly a luddite, but definitely anti-youth and anti-new technologies. As it's the youth of the country who are actively embracing this new mode of transportation, to their cost. Given how the Po-lice seem to think they are doing the world a favour by impounding e-bikes, with their boasts of how many -bikes they've stolen from in the main young people. Due to the fear porn surrounding e-bikes, and no pathways for the legal use of anything over 250W e-bikes on British roads. ''Or a 250W e-bike delimited wiv a frottle Dwave'' says The Kid.
I also anticipated that e-bike legislation would not be devolved, but I can imagine that if the First Minister did have a word in the ears of the Chief Constables in Wales. That they would desist from impounding e-bikes, until the Senedd had done their own moratorium on them, as suggested previously. That the Chief Constables would comply with his wishes.
While Road Traffic legislation might not be devolved, it didn't stop the Senedd from introducing 20mph zones, and the fines that are being issued due to these changes. So they have directly effected criminal justice in Wales by this policy as well.
I guess it's time I sent an email to this address:
How to use an ombudsman in Wales
I contacted Rhun in his position of First Minister, and Dan Thomas in his role as leader of His Majesties opposition. Not as a constituent of their area. I also understand that everything is new and everyone is busy busy. But I don't appreciate being stolen from on BS grounds, and I really am fed up of being ignored over this issue.
Rhun has been at the Senedd since 2013 long enough to have his office up and running efficiently one would hope. And I have to question their use of Social Media, every time I log into my X account I get told how many notifications I have. Whether they be likes or comments on a post. Both Rhun and Dan would have had these appear on theirs. It's not as if they have millions of these, unlike Elon Musk. So their choice not to engage with notifications is an act of Misconduct in Public Office. As well as their ignoring of emails and Facebook posts.
There will need to be cross party support for some sanity over e-bike usage in Wales, hopefully across the UK. If Rhun has an in depth conversation with our new Prime Minister Andy Burnham over e-bikes. Embracing them rather than criminalizing them.
Lazarus wants to achieve his full potential Rhun, delimited throttle driven. So it can serve me better. Two simple reasonable adjustments, that wont hurt anyone, and would make the riders life more enjoyable. And perhaps Deliveroo employees might just, just earn more than the minimum wage, because they can do more calls in day now that they can ride at 20mph not 15.5mph. Or 'Good grief Crazydave, following the moratorium they have introduced pathways for 1000W e-bike use on British roads. That doesn't include road tax or number plates, I mean it's push bike after all. To misquote George Galloway ''If it looks like a bike, rides like a bike, it's a bike'' What does Lazarus look like to you Rhun?
Well that's the email sent to: standards.commissioner@senedd.wales
Apologies for the format changes, copy/pasting isn't a simple as you'd imagine.
And seeing as Rhun is sending nice messages to our new Prime Minster I tweeted him this.
