Queensland’s plan to introduce some of the world’s most stringent regulations for e bike users is drawing significant pushback from local councils, the peak motoring body of the state and the food delivery industry.
They argue that the new regulations will disproportionately affect responsible riders without addressing the core issue.
On 25 March, the Queensland government presented the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, which proposes banning all persons below 16 years from riding electric bikes and scooters on roadways and paths.
All persons above 16 years old would be required to have a minimum learner driving license to use such vehicles.
There will be a total speed limit of 10km/h on pathways and 25km/h elsewhere.
This bill came after a parliamentary inquiry where over 1,200 responses were received following the death of 14 individuals riding e mobility vehicles on the roads of Queensland in 2025.
But a wide range of people who have a stake in the issue say that the bill goes too far. Dr. Michael Kane, the RACQ’s Head of Public Policy, told the parliamentary inquiry that legal e bikes were not the problem and that the focus should stay on illegal, high powered devices.
Last year, RACQ, Bicycle Queensland, and Queensland Walks all said that instead of making it harder for compliant riders, they should enforce the laws that are already in place and crack down on stores that sell machines that don’t meet those laws.
The Bicycle Queensland has pointed out that adding signs to all shared paths to indicate new speed limit will be too expensive for local governments to accommodate with, with tens of thousands of shared paths in the state.
In addition, the organisation has highlighted that 10km/h speed limit would completely discourage recreational cyclists from using bike paths like the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail that attract tourists.
Moreover, the ebikes that comply with all the requirements have been used safely for more than 15 years and the recreational e mountain biking youth has nothing to do with urban safety.
Similarly, Uber Eats and DoorDash have also shown concern regarding licensing requirements that would rule out riders without motor vehicle licenses from getting deliveries done.
There are more than 340,000 Queenslanders over the age of 16 who do not have a driving license.
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Some critics argue that the law will deny the residents of the most needy communities access to one of the available modes of transport, namely, seniors, the disabled and people from regions with limited vehicle possession.
The government of Queensland has clarified that the citizens holding driving licenses issued in foreign countries and other states will be allowed to use ebikes.
There will be a six month transition period after the proposed bill’s introduction, which will come into force on 1 July, with a complete penalty system beginning on 1 January 2027.
There will be a public hearing session for the bill on 22 April, with the committee of parliament members reporting back by 8 May.
The final decision will determine whether Queensland will proceed with making life even harder for ebike riders or amend its regulations before the start of implementation.
