Peter Hitchens hits out at latest e-bike crash in Oxford

The former socialist turned Burkean conservative Peter Hitchens is speaking out after a man was hospitalised on Sunday, August 25 due to a collision on the Marston cycle path.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) says two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the incident as the team treated a male.

Marston Cycle Path. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

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Thames Valley Police received reports of an assault with an injury incident at around 5.30pm on Sunday, August 25 on the footbridge by Mesopotamia Walk.

Police say a man in his 70s sustained serious injuries and required hospital treatment.

Mr Hitchens, who said he had gone down to the scene, understood the rider had been "shouting", "hit the pedal cyclist while riding in the same direction" and then "sped off".

This comes as the journalist said he had previously observed a "dangerously ridden e-bike" on the popular path in June which was "charging across the track".

Mr Hitchens said: "People will die – children will be killed."

Peter Hitchens. (Image: Matthew Norman)

He added "one solution would be number plates" and also that e-bikes should be "banned from cycle tracks".

When asked whether this could set a precedent where pedal bikes also needed number plates, he suggested he couldn't see how this would be enforceable and the rule should only apply to motorised vehicles.

He added: "There are so many millions of push bikes – there aren’t that many e-bikes.

"Now there is motor traffic on the cycle track.

"It is still possible to stop this becoming the wild west."

E-bikes. (Image: TVP Oxford)

He suggested e-bikes had "the status" of bicycles "without actually deserving it" as there was no physical benefit to using them.

The comments come as Thames Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber said in an annual Crime and Disorder scrutiny meeting in July he was concerned at how e-bike riders were "illegally modifying" their bikes to reach high speeds.

Currently, e-bikes are legally permitted to go as fast as 15.5mph which is similar to the average speed of a pedal bike.

Labour Marston councillor Mary Clarkson said her main concern was the cycle path "remains a track that people feel safe to use and remain using" but did not think e-bikes should be banned from the route.

Ms Clarkson added: "There is nothing intrinsically wrong with e-bikes.

Mary Clarkson. (Image: Other.)

"My only issue is with speeding."

She thought banning e-bikes from cycle paths would "exclude a lot of people" but supported the bikes not going faster than "a normal push bike".

When asked what the purpose of the bikes would be in that case Ms Clarkson suggested they "provide a bit of oomph when going up hill" and could be helpful for elderly people or others who find it difficult to pedal.

Thames Valley Police has been contacted for comment. 

The force did not respond to us but Mr Hitchens shared an email he received with an appeal for witnesses. 

Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information should call police on 101 or report it to Thames Valley Police online, quoting the reference 43240408863.

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About the author

Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county. 

She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.

Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi