Cardiff Taff Trail: MS Calls for Drone Trial on Illegal E-bikes 2026

Key Points

• Zaynub Akbar MS, Member of the Senedd for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf (Plaid Cymru), has urged the South Wales Police to conduct trials of drones against the use of illegal e-bikes and off-road vehicles.
• As reported by Herald.Wales, Zaynub Akbar has addressed letters to the Chief Constable of South Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner to suggest considering a drone trial.
• The proposed drone trial will target known locations such as the Taff Trail, Llandaff North, Gabalfa and Whitchurch.
• This comes in the wake of cases of assaults and anti-social behavior that are reportedly related to the riding of illegal bikes in the area.
• According to the police, South Wales is using drone units, specialist Sur-Ron unit and plain clothes police in Operation Grebe.
• In the latest wide-scale operation conducted across the force, police made 11 arrests, 14 warrants issued and 12 bikes recovered.
• Superintendent Emma Fox explained that specialist resources, including drones, are being used to locate and arrest offenders.
• Previously, South Wales Police, in conjunction with Cardiff City Council and the National Police Air Service, has been seizing hundreds of illegal e-bikes, e-scooters and off-road vehicles since August 2025.

Cardiff (Wales Times) October 30, 2026 — Zaynub Akbar MS has formally asked South uk/police/">Wales Police to consider trialling drone technology to help tackle the illegal use of e-bikes and off-road vehicles along Cardiff’s Taff Trail and in surrounding neighbourhoods.

As reported by Herald.Wales, the Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf has written to the Chief Constable of South Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, requesting that a drone trial be considered for known hotspots including the Taff Trail, Llandaff North, Gabalfa and Whitchurch.

The call follows reports of assaults and anti-social behaviour connected with illegal bike riding. Herald.Wales reported that Akbar wants police to examine whether drones could support officers in identifying riders and gathering evidence in areas where illegal e-bike use has been repeatedly reported.

What Has Zaynub Akbar MS Proposed?

Akbar’s proposal is for a trial use of drones at specific locations where illegal riding has been reported, rather than a permanent or city-wide surveillance programme. According to Herald.Wales, the areas identified include the Taff Trail, Llandaff North, Gabalfa and Whitchurch.

The Taff Trail is a well-used walking and cycling route through Cardiff, and police have previously identified it as a location where illegal e-bikes have been ridden. In a July operation, South Wales Police said 17 illegal e-bikes were seized from riders using the Taff Trail and other parks and green spaces across the city.

Akbar’s letter to the Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner asks the force to consider drone technology as part of its response. Herald.Wales did not report that police had agreed to the trial; the request remains a proposal from the Senedd member.

Why Is the Taff Trail a Focus?

The Taff Trail has featured repeatedly in South Wales Police operations against illegally ridden e-bikes and similar vehicles. In June, the BBC reported that a police and Cardiff Council operation resulted in 39 further seizures in areas including Cathays, Ely, Caerau, Fairwater, Hailey Park and along the Taff Trail.

South Wales Police said at the time that more than 700 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters had been seized in Cardiff since the previous summer. The force said many of the vehicles, described as mechanically propelled vehicles or MPVs, were being used illegally on roads, pavements and public paths.

Inspector Tim Ursell of South Wales Police said the unlawful use of e-bikes and e-scooters was “not only illegal but also puts pedestrians and road users at serious risk”.

What Police Action Is Already Under Way?

South Wales Police is already running Operation Grebe, which targets bikes being ridden illegally, including electric bikes, motorcycles and off-road bikes. According to Wales247, recent warrants linked to the operation were carried out across Cardiff, Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea.

The force reported that the operation resulted in 11 arrests, 14 warrants being executed and 12 bikes being seized. Wales247 reported that bikes seized during the operation were intended for destruction, while arrests were also made in connection with drug offences.

Superintendent Emma Fox said: “We’re deploying specialist assets including drone teams, our new Sur-Ron team, and plain clothes officers to identify and catch these offenders and bring them to justice.”

WalesOnline also reported Superintendent Fox saying: “My message to those engaging in illegal bike riding is clear: We are coming for you.”

How Are Drones Already Being Used?

Drone teams are already part of South Wales Police’s approach. WalesOnline reported that the force has trained drone pilots and acquired six new drones in collaboration with the Police and Crime Commissioner, alongside investment in technology intended to improve evidence collection and prosecution opportunities.

The force has also used aerial support in earlier operations. In July, South Wales Police, Cardiff Council and the National Police Air Service worked together in an operation that resulted in 68 illegal mechanically propelled vehicles being seized and destroyed.

Nation.Cymru reported that the July operation targeted areas including the Taff Trail, Gabalfa, Cathays, Cardiff city centre, Canton, Grangetown and Ely. It said teams in plain clothes and uniform patrolled hotspot areas, including the Taff Trail.

What Has Been Seized So Far?

The scale of enforcement has increased substantially since August 2025. Nation.Cymru reported that the July operation took the total number of illegal vehicles seized since that month to 800.

Earlier in May, a one-day joint operation between South Wales Police and Cardiff Council resulted in 21 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters being taken off the road. Road Safety GB reported that this brought the total number of illegal vehicles seized and recycled since August 2025 to 633.

Inspector Ursell said at the time: “Unlawful use of e-bikes and e-scooters is not only illegal but also puts pedestrians and road users at serious risk.” He added that the impact of anti-social e-bike riders on communities was regularly raised as a concern.

What Are the Legal Limits on E-bikes?

The enforcement action concerns mechanically propelled vehicles, a category that includes certain e-bikes and e-scooters that do not meet legal requirements for use on public roads, pavements or public paths. South Wales Police has said many of the vehicles seized were being used unlawfully in these spaces.

WalesOnline reported that such vehicles can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission and are prohibited on public roads or pavements.

The distinction matters because legally compliant electrically assisted pedal cycles are treated differently from high-powered or adapted machines. Police operations have focused on illegal or dangerously ridden vehicles, rather than all e-bike users.

What Happens Next?

Akbar’s request now rests with South Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Herald.Wales reported that she has asked them to consider a drone trial; it did not report a response from either office at the time of publication.

South Wales Police has encouraged members of the public to report illegal bike use, including information about where vehicles are ridden or stored. WalesOnline reported that the force asked people to submit information, photographs or videos through its online portal.

Any expanded drone use would need to operate within policing, privacy and aviation rules. The force has not announced a new Taff Trail drone trial in response to Akbar’s letter, based on the available reporting.

Background of the Development

Concern about illegal e-bikes and off-road bikes in Cardiff has grown over the past year. South Wales Police and Cardiff Council have run repeated joint operations since August 2025, seizing and recycling hundreds of illegal vehicles.

The Taff Trail has been one of the locations repeatedly named in enforcement activity. In June, the BBC reported that police seized 39 vehicles in an operation covering areas including the Taff Trail, while the force said more than 700 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters had been seized in Cardiff since the previous summer.

By July, the total reported by police and local media had risen to 800 following an operation involving South Wales Police, Cardiff Council and the National Police Air Service. That operation included 17 illegal e-bikes seized from the Taff Trail and other green spaces.

Akbar represents Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf in the Senedd and has made the issue a constituency concern. Her letter seeks to add drone technology to the existing enforcement toolkit, particularly in areas where riders may be difficult to identify or pursue on the ground.herald

Prediction: How Could This Affect Cardiff Residents?

For Taff Trail users, a drone trial could mean more visible enforcement and a greater likelihood that illegal riders are identified. Pedestrians, cyclists and families using the route may see fewer high-speed or dangerously ridden vehicles if the technology helps police respond more quickly to reports.

For residents in Llandaff North, Gabalfa and Whitchurch, the proposal could lead to more targeted policing in neighbourhoods where anti-social riding has been reported. It may also increase the amount of evidence available to police, potentially supporting seizures and prosecutions.

For legal e-bike users, the development should not affect ordinary compliant cycling, but clearer enforcement could reduce confusion about where different types of vehicles may be ridden. Businesses, community groups and park users may also see increased engagement with police as reporting routes and hotspot patrols continue.

The practical effect will depend on whether South Wales Police agrees to a trial, how drones are deployed, and whether enforcement leads to a measurable reduction in illegal riding along the Taff Trail and in the surrounding communities.