Mayor Andy Burnham has delivered a strong message to Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat over the standards of delivery cycling.

Caller Lynn from Saddleworth told the mayor she was ‘very worried’ about delivery cyclists using electric and pedal bikes in Manchester city centre during the latest edition of BBC Radio Manchester's Hotseat show.

Lynn said: “As a driver, I’m concerned about the amount of bikes that don’t have lights on, there’s no reflective gear on them. As a driver I’m frightened of hitting them.

“But my main concern is the complete disregard for the red lights. As a driver you worry – you think it’s safe to go through and next there’s a flipping bike going through.

“My main gripe is when you’re walking in the city. It’s great there’s pedestrian areas, you wait for your green man at the lights, you set off because you’re free to go. Whoosh, there’s a flipping bike coming past – nearly knocks you on the floor.

“I had a close escape the other day when I came out my daughter’s flat, we came on to the pavement and the road is shut off in the middle so there’s no vehicular access, but there’s a footpath. An electric bike came flying up there, how it missed me I don’t know.

“There’s just a disregard for the rules of the road and for everybody else. I don’t know what the answer is, and I don’t know if they have any training. I get that they’re working but, my goodness, your life is in your hands when you walk in the streets of Manchester with these bikes.”

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Host Mike Sweeney agreed with the caller, adding: “They’re the size now, electric bikes, of a small motorbike basically, and the bulk of a small motorbike.”

Mayor Andy Burnham concurred adding: “Not just that, they can go at the speed of a moped or a motorbike.”

Modified electric bikes are not considered legal ‘e-bikes’ by the UK government.

According to the government, legal electric bikes must have pedals that can be used to propel it, and the electric motor should cut out at speeds of more than 15.5 mph (25 km/h). The motor should also require pedalling to work, rather than using a ‘twist and go’ throttle.

Those that don’t meet these requirements are considered motorcycles or mopeds by law – riders need to register and tax them, need a driving licence to ride one, and must wear a crash helmet. The vehicles also can’t legally use cycle lanes.

The mayor responded to Lynn by saying he thought she was speaking for ‘a lot of people’.

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He added: “There must be something that can be done, I don’t think the situation is safe as it is right now. What is that something that can be done?

“I’ve talked before, Lynn, about increasing the amount of segregated lanes for these types of bikes, and that’s going to have to be part of the solution in the long-run.”

Host Mike interrupted saying: “They say they ignore them though, Andy.”

The mayor continued: “Well, I’m going to come on to that Mike. I think more segregated space has got to happen because of these forms of micro-mobility. They’re just going to be part of life and we’re going to have to deal with them better and give space to them.

“However, Lynn, there’s a very specific thing I’m going to say and it’s probably the first time I’ve said this, but it’s been on my mind for a while: I’m going to get these companies together.

“The likes of Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat, there’s a whole number of them isn’t there? They have to be put on the spot to sign up to some standards here in relation to the clothing, the basic equipment on the bikes, i.e. lights.

“If they’re dressed in black that’s not helpful is it to people later at night, that’s a problem – people can struggle to see some of these delivery drivers at times.

“There has to be a set of standards with regard to equipment and behaviour of the drivers. No-one here is about making someone who’s got a tough working life making it much harder and clamping down, we understand people have got to make a living but it’s got to be done safely, hasn’t it?

“I wouldn’t put the pressure on the individuals, it’s got to be on the companies. These companies are making massive amounts of money out of these services. It’s their responsibility first-and-foremost to ensure that they’re doing so safely and not putting the public at risk.

“So, if you’re listening, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat: you’re going to be getting an invitation to a meeting and you better come with some good answers.”