Some sort of licensing might be appropriate above a certain power level, but a driver’s licence is not really relevant to riding a bike.
You have to demonstrate an understanding of road rules and signage to get a driver’s licence, which is pretty relevant.
I agree it would be better if there was a separate licensing system - one that would allow younger people to access some categories of e-bike - and I imagine we will in the long-run, but using existing systems as a stop-gap doesn’t seem unreasonable.
The problem is that overly onerous requirements will discourage even more people taking up biking, in a time where absurd numbers of people drive literally everywhere.
I can understand the throttle based e-bikes requiring a license, but limiting pedelacs which are no more powerful than conventional bikes is ridiculous and feels like a moral panic type action.
They are not banning them for adults. Anyone who drives on the roads should have a driver’s license of some form, and anything too fast for pedestrian paths should be driven on the roads only. Maybe they should limit and classify e-bikes by top speed, not power. It wold be reasonable fist step.
I’m not against licencing for ebikes, especially if it allows 35 km/h top speeds (25 is a bit slow really).
Needing a car to get the licence, is a bit silly though
The requirement to prove you can safely drive a car in order to use a much safer vehicle is bizarre. Given that it’s not listed under the AMAQ recommendations, I assume that one came from the Royal Automobile Club. It seems a bit strange that the automobile club was included at all given that the originating incident had no cars involved.
This bit at the end seems important
According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ annual crash report, 307 lives were lost in 284 crashes in Queensland in 2025, the highest road toll in the state in 16 years.
This included 129 car driver fatalities and 44 passenger deaths, while “personal mobility devices” – which covers e-scooters – saw the fewest fatalities, with eight deaths. There were 38 pedestrians, 50 truck driver, 75 motorcycle/moped rider and pillion and 13 bicycle or ebike rider and pillion fatalities.
In the six months to 30 June last year, 1,455 drivers were hospitalised after a crash while 105 personal mobility device users were hospitalised with injuries.
Those numbers are pretty irrelevant unless you’re able to provide a comparable percentage. For example, 129 car driver deaths per 1million road hours compared to 8 escooter deaths per 10,000 hours. Sure, the number of deaths might be lower, but risk higher.
Agreed, absolute numbers are not a useful comparison
They’re great devices. I’m for any legislation that allows the legal public use of them. Ridiculous that I can be trusted with a 1000+ cc motorbike but not a 3kw e-moto.
Thing: exists
Australian government: how can we collect tax from this?
Typical, and disgraceful.
