A PUBLICISED crackdown on anti-social Deliveroo riders may not take place – as police know nothing about it.

Brighton and Hove City Councillors has been informed Sussex Police are preparing to target riders going the wrong way down one way streets.

But the force said city inspectors were not aware of any planned action.

The news will disappoint Green councillor Tom Druitt who had called for action to be taken against the food delivery firm following a number of complaints.

Deliveroo is already facing unrest from its own riders who are angry over their pay and conditions.

Deliveroo’s travails in the city began in February with staff threatening to go on strike over low pay.

Cllr Druitt said drivers were becoming a “nuisance” and a “danger” since the firm started predominantly using motorcycles instead of bicycles.

He said he had received a number of complaints from residents about motorbikes going the wrong way down one way streets, using pavements and cycle paths and weaving between bollards.

He said: “These problems are a direct result of Deliveroo’s failure to accept its employment commitments and pay its staff a proper hourly wage. By paying a very low price per delivery and not paying sick or holiday pay, the only way riders can earn enough money to survive is to race around the city and use all the shortcuts they can find.”

Licensing committee chairwoman Councillor Jackie O’Quinn said the council had little control over the firm because the Government did not insist firms like Deliveroo had to be licensed with the council.

She said: “I have been made aware local police are planning to start some enforcement activity of riders who are breaching traffic rules by driving the wrong way down one way streets for example.”

She will ask Brighton and Hove’s commander, Chief Superintendent Lisa Bell, to contact the firm’s chief executive to discuss issues including the number of L-plated motorcycles used.

A Deliveroo spokesman said the firm had been a success story in Brighton, growing by 200 per cent since March 2016. He added the firm was seeking “constructive dialogue” with all parties and preparing to meet Caroline Lucas.

Police said inspectors were not aware of any planned action.

A Deliveroo spokesman said the company had been "a real success story" growing by 200 per cent since March 2016 and working with hundreds of local riders now making on average over £9.80 an hour. 

The firm said it welcomed constructive dialogue with all parties to ensure everyone benefitted from the firm's "ongoing growth".

He added: "Road safety is of utmost importance to us and we operate a zero tolerance policy towards any riders who are found to have broken the law.

"We would ask people to share any complaints with us so that wherever possible we can take action.

"As part of our commitment to road safety we have made helmets and lights available to all riders free of charge, and worked with experts at Brake to design a new hyper-reflective rider kit which maximises their visibility."

This month Conservative Cllr Lee Wares accused Uber of failing to play by the rules and “flooding” Brighton and Hove with drivers licensed elsewhere in breach of its operating agreement.

The taxi business claims it is meeting its licence agreement, up for renewal in November, and that its drivers have faced intimidation from taxi drivers.