NSW to ban petrol-powered bicycles

Petrol-powered bicycles will be outlawed under a new plan to curb deaths on NSW's roads, the state government says.

The ban comes after three people died while riding petrol-powered bikes in NSW last year, including a 14-year-old boy in Sydney's west. Another 40 were injured.

The ban will begin on October 1.

Under the government's new rules all bikes with internal combustion engines will be banned, with fines of up to $2500 for those breaking the law.

The electric pedelec bikes still be allowed.

Roads minister Duncan Gay said many of the petrol-powered bikes were "backyard jobs", which weren't built safely.

"We've seen too many injuries and lives lost because of these bikes," Mr Gay said on Friday.

"These bikes can travel at high speeds but their brakes and other safety components are only designed for standard bikes.

"This means they take much longer to stop than a standard bike."

The new laws close a loophole that allowed petrol-powered bikes to be on NSW roads while petrol-powered skateboards and scooters were banned.

The rules follow restrictions already in place in Queensland.