Elderly man scared to leave his house due to speeding cyclists and e-bikes

Mohammed Ishaq is too nervous to leave his home (Picture: SWNS)

An elderly man has been left too scared to leave his house due to a surge in irresponsible e-bike riders speeding on pavements.

Mohammed Ishaq has been left like a prisoner in his own home due to food delivery riders on electric bicycles blighting his local area in Anderston, Glasgow.

The 84-year-old revealed he no longer feels safe walking around where he has lived for more than 40 years, due to the number of cyclists.

He says the streets have become ‘too busy’ and cycle lanes have made crossing the road ‘confusing’.

Mohammed said: ‘There are too many barriers when going out like works going on and rubbish everywhere and people cycling on pavements.

‘It’s very hard now to walk around the area safely.’

Cyclists whizzing past his house make it difficult to leave safely (Picture: Getty)

Mohammed said he thinks more bikes are in the area due to food delivery (Picture: SWNS)

Even crossing the roads – which have been divided into cycling lanes – is confusing for Mohammed.

Mohammed says he believes part of the reason for the increase in cyclists in the area in recent years is due to food delivery companies.

He added: ‘I think there are more bikes around in the area now because of people doing deliveries and they are not all using the roads.

‘They also go too fast and annoy people. I don’t think some of those riding bikes care about their own safety or anyone else’s. Some of the bikes look very big and can be quite scary.’

In a Garnethill Neighbourhood Watch meeting in August, residents pushed for e-bikes to be classified as motorised vehicles, registered and for all cyclists to be better educated.

Mohammed’s son Dr Abid Ishaq said: ‘The cycle lanes are a danger to pedestrians crossing the road because they don’t understand the layout of the cycle lanes and the fact is a lot of cyclists are not stopping when it’s a red light.

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‘There are also cyclists going through red lights even when there’s no cycle lane and basically endangering themselves and causing chaos for drivers.’

Dr Ishaq also said he believes those cycling responsibly are ‘in the minority’ and is ‘angry’ his dad doesn’t feel safe walking around.

He stressed: ‘We live in a country where we should be able to walk about freely in a safe environment and there are elderly and disabled people who are finding it difficult.

‘It makes me really sad and really angry, not just with the behaviour of the cyclists, but also with the failure of law enforcement agencies and the council to acknowledge the problem and put measures in place to tackle it.’

Road Policing Inspector Hugh Niccolls, from Police Scotland, said: ‘We have been carrying out joint patrols with officers from the local problem solving team in Glasgow city centre in response to complaints and incidents relating to e-bikes and e-scooters that are not road legal.

‘Our focus is on educating riders on safety and legislative requirements, as well as using enforcement action where necessary.

‘Road safety remains a priority and I would encourage anyone with information or concerns about potentially illegal e-bike or e-scooter activity to speak to officers on patrol in Glasgow City Centre or call Police Scotland on 101.’

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson echoed Police Scotland and said they are ‘fully committed’ to improving the city for walking, wheeling and cycling.

‘Pedestrians are recognised as the most vulnerable road users and we are working on a wide range of initiatives that will make travel on foot as safe as possible,’ they said.

‘Where rules are breached, such as cycling through a red light, cycling on the pavement, or riding an unlicensed e-motor bike, enforcement is a matter for the police.’

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