Queensland’s Parliament is currently considering a bill which would effectively ban ebikes. They would be unable to go more than 10 km/h on footpaths and shared paths, which make up over 90% of the so-called “bike paths” in Brisbane. It will also force you to have a driver’s licence to ride an ebike, ban under-16s from riding them at all, and increase the penalty for riding without a helmet for both ebikes and analogue bikes.
There’s also the niche fact that it will require ebikes be compliant with the EN 15194:2017+A1:2023 standard, instead of just the basic EN 15194 standard. This is a specific niche change that means all older ebikes and even most currently-sold ebikes will be non-compliant with the technicalities of the law, even though they fit within the basic premise of being: (a) pedal assist, (b) 250 W maximum, and © incapable of going more than 25 km/h with motor assistance. One of the cycling advocates in Brisbane went to a local major bike store and checked their inventory. They only sold one model that complied with this new standard. And it was a child’s bike, and thus de facto illegal under these laws regardless, since children cannot ride ebikes.
Next week, Aldi’s specials will include a folding ebike. It will almost certainly not be compliant with the 2023 standard.
The details of the bill and the committee can be found here: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-Committees/Committees/Committee-Details?cid=272&id=8575
Or you can contact the committee directly here: SDIWC@parliament.qld.gov.au
Submissions to the committee close at 10 am this coming Friday . So get them in by Thursday evening!
Greens MP Michael Berkman has created an easy-to-use form to help with making a submission: https://www.michaelberkman.com.au/emobility
That is very slow.
I could get my mountain bike going at 25+ on that flat path. If I had a road bike… 40+ wouldn’t be too hard.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should and is exactly why they are writing this legislation
My bike is not electric, this this legislation wouldn’t cover it.
I primarily ride trails, in NZ, but I also commute to work on my MTB sometimes, on the down hill sections of the path I’ll exceed 30 for long stretches.
Why would I limit myself when I may see one other person in the entire 8.5km ride? The most I have seen is 5; most days it is zero.
TMR’s own guidance tells us that it’s perfectly safe to go 15–25 km/h when mixing with pedestrians. On paths as empty as the one shown in this video, with sightlines as clear as in this video (i.e., you know there’s no chance of someone suddenly appearing right in front of you) there’s absolutely no reason you couldn’t go 30 or more. Personally, I wouldn’t be doing 40, but that’s because this path is too short and too windy to be worth training on, and 40 is way too much effort if you’re not training.
Need some testing on the the water in the QLD parliament. Seems there is something in it causing deleterious effects on the politicians minds. My first guess would be the fossil fuel lobby have leaked in somehow.
