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Queensland Panel Backs Softer E-Bike Rules, Keeps Licence and Under-16 Ban

The move signals a shift to place-based rules ahead of a planned July 1 rollout.

Overview

  • The parliamentary committee, which released its report Friday, narrowed the 10 km/h plan to high‑pedestrian zones and proposed proximity rules on footpaths and shared paths.
  • The panel backed a learner's licence for all riders and an under‑16 ban, and it urged exemptions for people who cannot be licensed because of disability, medical condition or age.
  • The report urged protections so e-bikes that met rules when built stay legal after officials warned a new EN15194 standard could render most current models illegal, which Transport and Main Roads said it would review.
  • The recommendations followed a Story Bridge protest ride Thursday night by more than 100 cyclists who said a 10 km/h cap would push riders onto roads and turn short trips into much longer commutes.
  • The government still targets a July 1 start for the laws, while Labor MPs said they could not support the bill even with changes and called for it to be rewritten with key stakeholders.