Yesterday, Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg MP introduced a bill to parliament that could eliminate the practical use of safe, standards-compliant pedal-assist bicycles (EPACs) in Queensland.

As we feared, the proposed legislation includes a speed limit restriction of 10km/h for EPACs on footpaths and shared paths. That’s slower than a toddler on a balance bike, and a speed at which it’s actually very difficult to keep a bicycle stable while pedalling. (For reference, walking speed is around 4-6km/h, while many runners will be faster than 10km/h).

These maps courtesy of Brisbane City Council’s Open Data show Brisbane’s bicycle network with and without shared pathways. If this legislation is passed, then your options for feasibly riding on an off-road path will shrink dramatically.

Your choice (legally) will be to try to wobble along at 10km/h, or ride on the road at 25km/h while sharing space with cars and trucks which are not power limited, with drivers impatient to move at the 60 or 70km/h speed of the road.

For those who like stats: when you total up all types of separated bike paths (Bicycle Path, Cycle Track, Separated Path and Shared Pathway), Shared Pathways make up more than 90% of the total across Brisbane. So the Crisafulli Government is reducing the cycling network for e-bikes by 90% in the Brisbane Local Government Area.

(The situation is likely even worse in other areas of Queensland where there are no dedicated cycleways at all).

The new legislation is available for view and public comment. It has gone back to the committee for review (for 2 weeks we think), and there is still time to write to the committee and your local MP asking for sensible changes so safe and legal bikes won’t become impractical to use in Queensland.

Email your thoughts to the committee at: SDIWC@parliament.qld.gov.au

Contact the Transport Minister, Hon Brent Mickelberg MP at: transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au or call his ministerial office on (07) 3719 7110

See our earlier post with information on how to find contact information for your local MP and some suggestions on what to say in general, as well as adding your story about how these new rules will affect you and your family.

Please help us defend the safe and sensible use of electric-assist bicycles in Queensland.