E Bike Rider Fined and Banned After Fatal Collision in West London

An e bike rider has been fined and banned from driving after being involved in a fatal collision with a pedestrian in west London, as a judge warned about the growing risks posed by illegally modified electric bikes on city streets.

Henry Morgan, 61, from Shepherd’s Bush, was riding along Uxbridge Road on 28 February 2025 when he overtook a bus and struck a man in his sixties who was attempting to cross the road. The pedestrian suffered a serious head injury and later died in hospital on 2 April.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that although Morgan had initially faced a criminal investigation in connection with the death, it was determined that he was not responsible for causing the fatal crash itself.

However, Morgan admitted a series of offences relating to the condition and use of his vehicle. These included driving without a licence or insurance, riding an illegally modified e bike and failing to wear appropriate protective headgear.

The court was told that the e bike had been altered to reach speeds of up to 27 miles per hour, almost double the legal limit for electric bikes in the UK. By law, e bike motors must cut out at 15.5 miles per hour. Prosecutors said the bike had also been fitted with a battery powered throttle, allowing it to operate without pedalling, effectively classifying it as a motor vehicle.

District Judge Michael Snow said the penalty would appear small given that a life had been lost, but stressed that Morgan was not being sentenced for causing the death. He used the case to highlight broader concerns about modified electric bikes travelling at high speeds in London.

The judge described the increasing sight of altered e bikes on the capital’s roads as a clear and obvious risk to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. He said the case should serve as a warning about the dangers associated with adapting bikes beyond legal limits.

Morgan was banned from driving for six months and fined £240. He was also ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £96 victim surcharge.

Defence counsel told the court that Morgan had purchased the bike already modified and was unaware that a licence and insurance were required. The court heard that he was genuinely remorseful and had been distressed by the incident and the suggestion that he had caused a death.

The case comes amid growing scrutiny of electric bikes and scooters in London, particularly those modified to exceed legal speed limits. Authorities have repeatedly warned that such alterations can transform an e bike into an uninsured and unlicensed motor vehicle, with serious legal consequences for riders.