Licence to pedal: New e-bike laws set to begin in Queensland

E-bike riders in Queensland will be required to hold a licence as part of stricter laws introduced today.

The new laws introduced by the Queensland government will force riders to be at least 16 years old, and hold a valid learner’s permit, with parents facing fines if their children are caught illegally riding e-bikes.

The reforms, which were announced earlier this year, will come into effect just days after a 13-year-old in the state died after crashing an e-scooter.

There will be some exemptions in place, including if children are riding with their parents, or if they cannot hold a licence for medical reasons or due to a disability, but are still judged to be fit to drive an e-bike.

Children will also be able to ride in some recreational areas, like rail trails, mountain bike tracks, and private off-road cycling facilities.

The latest round of changes come after the government introduced a speed limit for e-bikes in July, and seized nearly 400 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters.

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“Our laws get the balance right between cracking down on those who do the wrong thing, while backing those Queenslanders who do the right thing and delivering sensible exemptions,” Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said.

The federal government and several state governments are looking to crack down on e-bikes after a spate of crashes that have left people injured or dead.

The latest death came on Saturday, when a 13-year-old boy in Childers near Bundaberg.

The boy crashed on Macrossan Street on Wednesday and suffered serious head injuries.

He was airlifted to Queensland Children’s Hospital, but died of his injuries on Saturday.

The federal government has tasked the ACCC to create national standards for e-bike laws, which currently vary from state to state.

The proposed national standards will see e-bikes have a maximum output of 250 watts, and pedal assistance must be cut when speeds reach 25km/h.

In WA, Victoria and Queensland, retailers can sell e-bikes with a maximum power of 500 watts, where the pedal assistance cuts out at 25km/h; NSW is currently undergoing a transition that will see the legal watt limit fall from 500 watts to 250 watts by 2029.

A minimum age to ride e-bikes in NSW will also be introduced, though it hasn’t been decided if it will be 12-year-old or 16-years-old.