Gold Coast e-bike crackdown 'not effective', council report finds

The dangerous and illegal use of e-motorbikes has become more prevalent in recent years. (Supplied: Queensland Police (file image)) A Gold Coast council report says a four-week e-bike crackdown at two parks did little to address anti-social behaviour. More than 600 riders were observed, but fewer than a quarter were issued with warnings. New laws are expected to be debated in Queensland parliament over the coming weeks. Link copiedShareShare articleA council crackdown against e-bikes on the Gold Coast was "not effective" with many underage riders ignoring or riding away from compliance officers. The City of Gold Coast prohibited e-bikes and other electric mobility devices from Pizzey Park and the Runaway Bay Sports Precinct over a four-week trial in March. There has been significant community concern over alleged anti-social behaviour from e-bike riders in recent years. A 13-year-old boy was charged on Friday with a string of offences at Runaway Bay. Police allege the boy and a group of teenagers riding non-compliant e-bikes damaged the precinct's sporting fields and public toilets on May 14, with rocks allegedly thrown at police vehicles. The 13-year-old has been charged with serious assault police, dangerous operation of a vehicle, wilful damage, public nuisance, and other traffic-related offences. He is due to appear in Southport Childrens Court on May 27. A report to the council's Planning and Regulation Committee concluded that the trial crackdown on e-bikes had little impact, with state law reforms needed to address anti-social behaviour. Council officers observed 608 riders during March's trial, with three safety incidents involving "abuse towards officers from large groups of underage riders". Only 19 per cent of interactions were considered successful, with riders given "clear verbal education" or issued with warning cards. No fines were handed out, with "many riders repeat offending and avoiding interactions with officers". Many non-compliant e-motorbikes have been sold over the counter in Australia. (Supplied: Queensland Police) "It was unsafe for officers to pursue riders or step in front of moving objects to engage in a compliance interaction," the report stated. "The key issue observed was large groups of underage riders riding illegal devices erratically in the park area and ignoring compliance officer direction. "These groups caused damage to the park and created safety risks for other park users." The report found that more than 90 per cent of riders appeared to be under 18 years old, but that most were riding "in a safe manner". The vast majority of interactions happened at Pizzey Park in Miami. The report also found CCTV monitoring was "not effective in deterring riders". A council survey of 275 people found 62 per cent felt safer during the trial, but that "objective data to quantify this feeling could not be obtained". Extending the trial to 10 parks across the Gold Coast would cost $400,000 a year and would be "unlikely to represent value for money or effectively address the underlying issues". The report has recommended council support Queensland Police, which is the lead agency responsible for enforcement, while the state government considers new e-mobility device legislation. "The proposed state government legislative reforms are expected to address the primary safety and compliance issues associated with e-mobility use, including clearer device definitions, enhanced [police] enforcement powers and stronger penalties," the council report stated. Pedal assisted e-bikes may face new restrictions under proposed Queensland laws. (612 ABC: Kenji Sato) Under the proposed laws, under-16s would be banned from using e-mobility devices like e-bikes, with all riders required to hold at least a learner's permit. But earlier this month, a parliamentary inquiry committee recommended that people who cannot hold a licence but who can safely ride an e-mobility device be exempt from the permit requirement. It also recommended that a blanket 10km/h speed limit only apply to high pedestrian zones and not shared paths, as was initially proposed. Large groups of e-bike riders, many on dirt-bike style devices, have been seen riding the streets of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. (Supplied) A 15km/h speed limit could instead be applied on shared paths when riders were within 10 metres of a pedestrian. The City of Gold Coast made submissions to the inquiry in April, noting that high-speed e-motorbikes had been the primary safety concern. In a statement, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, said the state government was considering the committee's recommendations. Copy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesDelta Goodrem takes fourth spot in Eurovision 2026 as Bulgaria winsLIVE

Gold Coast e-bike crackdown 'not effective', council report finds

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