Fair Gig Work Scotland research guides UK parliament on courier and road safety

With concerns growing about illegal e-bikes on UK streets, experts have identified why many delivery riders are modifying their bikes and what may need to change to improve safety.

A study led by Dr Pedro Mendonça from Edinburgh Business School (Heriot-Watt University) has been cited in evidence presented to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking as part of its inquiry into unsafe and illegal e-bikes. Dr Mendonça's report found that a significant proportion of food delivery couriers reported altering e-bikes to increase speed. 62% of riders surveyed said they had modified their bikes beyond legal specifications. These modifications were most commonly reported by couriers working long hours and relying on delivery work as their primary source of income.

The findings suggest that road safety measures and policy changes will need to address both equipment regulation and the working arrangements that influence how delivery riders operate.

Dr Mendonça said: “Algorithmic management that prioritises speed over safety, combined with limited accountability, is pushing gig workers towards risky road behaviours. It is as important to strengthen regulation as it is to ensure that algorithms managing gig work prioritise the health and safety of workers and other road users.”

Key Findings

The research indicates that riders paid per delivery, rather than per hour, were more likely to report altering e-bikes to go faster and without speed limit to complete more jobs within in a given time to maximise income. Alongside the prevalence of equipment modification, the study also identified broader working-condition trends:

• Over 80% of couriers reported engaging in risky road behaviours
• 40% worked 40 hours or more per week
• 62% were dissatisfied with pay rates
• Researchers concluded that the structure of pay, especially when riders are paid per-delivery, creates a financial incentive to increase speed – this compensates the decreasing pay rates offered by platform companies. Earnings were reported to fluctuate depending algorithmic nudges, customer demand, and location.

Policy Impact

Part of making roads safer for all, the APPG inquiry examined the rise of non-compliant or “fake” e-bikes, unsafe conversion kits, and associated battery fire risks. It also considered how working arrangements within delivery platforms may intersect with road safety outcomes.

Recommendations for policy change include:

• stronger product certification standards
• enhanced oversight of online food delivery marketplaces
• clearer enforcement powers
• and compliance requirements for delivery platforms.

Some proposals also involve reviewing worker status and pay models in the gig economy.

Legal, certified e-bikes remain compliant with UK safety regulations. The concern raised in both the research and parliamentary discussions relates specifically to non-compliant or modified machines and the economic conditions under which they are used.

As app-based food delivery continues to expand, the findings contribute to an ongoing policy debate about how to address safety risks while considering the structure of gig economy work.