Email The Minister

Subject: Please protect inclusive cycling: Fix the E-mobility Bill 2026

Dear Minister Mickelberg,

I am writing to you regarding the Transport and Other Legislation (Managing E-mobility Use and Protecting Our Communities) Amendment Bill 2026.

While I completely support banning dangerous, overpowered e-motorbikes, legal pedal-assist e-bikes capped at 25km/h are safe. They are effectively bicycles that assist people with essential transport and commuting.

I urge you to amend the Bill to address these three critical flaws:

1. The Learner's Licence Barrier: Forcing riders to hold a learner's or drivers licence discriminates against all people, in particular seniors and people living with a disability who may be medically unfit to hold a driver's licence or those people who choose not to drive for any other reason. Legal e-bikes and e-trikes are not e-motorbikes; they are mobility lifelines. This requirement must be removed for legal e-bikes and e-trikes.

2. The 10km/h Shared Path Limit: Applying a 10km/h speed limit to all footpaths including shared bikeways will severely impact every rider across the State. Shared paths and rail trails are specifically designed for safe commuting and recreation. Riding an e-bike at 10km/h reduces rider control and wobble, making it more dangerous. Riding at 10km/hr is unsustainable for active transport on a regular basis. This reduced speed on shared paths will force commuters onto busy roads as riding at slower speeds than joggers will be untenable. Currently, riders on all legal vehicles share the space with pedestrians, dog-walkers, families and do so using the universal code of courtesy and respect. Legal ebike and trike riders currently safely share the space and we believe that the 10km/hr should be removed for shared paths.

3. Lack of Clarity for Trikes: The Bill requires all compliant ebikes to be certified to EN15194:2017-A1 standard. That standard is specifically for two-wheeled devices with pedals and a tricycle, by design, is unable to comply with that standard. The legislation appears to require all etrike riders to seek a special circumstances permit through the Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Accreditation and Other Provisions) Regulation 2015 (AOP Regulation) to authorise conditional use of electrically assisted tricycles and other non-standard electrically assisted vehicles, the process for which is unclear, appears cumbersome and subjective, given it is for conditional use only.

(Optional: Add 1-2 sentences here about your personal experience with an e-trike or e-bike).

Please ensure the new laws protect the freedom of everyday Queenslanders, seniors, and people with disabilities to use safe, legal active transport.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Suburb/Postcode]