Nothing matters more than keeping our kids safe. As more young people jump on e-bikes, we need to make sure every device on our roads and footpaths is safe, legal and fit for its purpose.
E-Bikes are heavier and faster than traditional bikes, which can increase the force involved in a crash and heighten the risk of serious injury and make them more difficult to control and manoeuvre.
There are estimated 760,000 e-bikes in NSW. The rapid growth of these vehicles has brought new opportunities for people to get around and to keep active, but it's highlighted the need for clearer, more consistent rules to support their safe use.
The former Liberal government opened the floodgates to e-bikes with power up to 500 watts without introducing a rules framework.
That's why my Government is introducing these crucial reforms to improve safety for riders, pedestrians and the wider community.
The reforms include investigating new minimum age requirements for children, adopting new e-bike safety standards, trials of 'dyno units' to measure e-bike speed on roadside compliance tests and new standards for lithium-ion batteries to reduce the risk of fires associated with e-bikes and scooters.
These reforms being introduced by my government recognise the law needs to keep pace with the popularity of e-bikes while ensuring families and riders who have already bought devices are treated fairly.
I believe this approach will improve safety for riders and the wider community, while preserving e-bikes as an accessible and popular form of everyday transport.
NSW will also adopt new safety standards in March this year to ensure e-bikes operate like bikes, not motorbikes.
Under the standard, e-bikes must have a maximum power output of 250 watts and power assistance must cut out at 25km/h.
The standards also include strict battery, electrical and fire-safety requirements, as well as anti-tampering protections to prevent power and speed limits being altered.
Age-limit restrictions and new safety standards will build on e-bike reforms already announced by my government.
This includes new police enforcement powers to seize and crush illegal e-bikes.
The community has been clear that we don't want souped-up motorbikes masquerading as e-bikes on our streets and these new standards make it clear that e-bikes must perform like bikes not motorbikes.
The vast majority of people do the right thing, and these laws are designed to support them.
I'll always work to strike the right balance and ensure that e-bikes remain a useful transport option without putting the public at risk.
