Sandy’s advocacy regarding reckless electric bike and scooter usage has continued, including for our police to be provided what they need to increase community safety. The Queensland Police Service have provided the following update on 10 December 2024, which also includes local enforcement statistics:

Noosa police have fined a parent for allegedly allowing their children to use an unregistered motor vehicle under Operation Zappo Stoppie.

The 58-year-old Sunshine Beach man was fined with two counts of permit use of unregistered motor vehicle for allegedly allowing his children, 15 and 17-year-old boys, to ride e-bikes after being previously warned.

Operation Zappo Stoppie targets the illegal use of electric motorcycles and non-compliant electric bikes in the Noosa area to identify, prevent and disrupt illegal use of e-bikes and high-risk behaviours.

Since it began on July 1 to November 4, police have completed 27 street checks identifying and warning 31 juveniles, issued eight infringements and impounded three bikes.

Police have also charged 24 people with 83 offences including 21 counts of unlicensed driving, 20 counts of use unregistered vehicle, 20 counts of drive uninsured vehicle, two counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count of drink driving.

Police are continuing to investigate a further 18 recorded incidents involving an additional 30 offences.

Noosa Heads Senior Constables Danny Baker and Tom Ayling said it is vital for the community to understand the rules and regulations.

“It’s important to note that Operation Zappo Stoppie does not include targeting electric scooters – police are addressing the dangerous and illegal use of those devices through other enforcement and education activities,” Senior Constable Baker said.

“We frequently receive complaints from concerned community members about children riding electric mororcycles in ways that are not only dangerous to the rider, but also other road users and pedestrians and it seems unfortunately evident that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed.

“In some instances we’re also seeing young people who have been caught offending on e-bikes move to the use of even more powerful road registerable sports style motorcycles.

“These trends have confirmed our focus needs to remain on electric dirt bikes, modified electric bikes and road registerable sports style motorcycles due to the significant risk of injury or death to these inexperienced riders and members of the public.

“It’s shocking to see children as young as 12 riding bikes powerful enough to be considered a motorbike or vehicle that must be registered, insured and driven by a licence holder.

“Just as an electric battery doesn’t change a car from being a car, compared to a petrol car, neither does an electric battery change a motorbike from being a motorbike.

“The rules around the use of a motorbike doesn’t change, regardless of if it’s powdered by petrol or an electric battery.

“We will continue with enforcement activities like Operation Zappo Stoppie and educational initiatives like presentations at local schools, but we also need parents to support us in keeping their children safe.

“I ask parents to please make yourself aware of the rules and regulations around the use of electric motorcycles and electric bikes, and carefully consider if it’s appropriate for your child to ride one.

“In the lead up to Christmas, I ask that parents also think twice before buying an e-bike for a child that is not able or old enough to ride it legally. Electric motorcycles and electric bikes are not toys.

“Parents can be fined or charged for permitting their children to ride unregistered vehicles as well as ride vehicles when unlicensed.”

Operation Zappo Stoppie is ongoing and police will be increasing their presence in the Noosa area with an expected increase in e-bike users as children head into the school holidays.

For more information: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/electric-bicycle-rules

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

We thank our local police for their swift action, especially since the new laws came into effect in February 2024. Further information is available at www.sandybolton.com/electric-bikes-and-scooters-update-february-2024.

The statistic that, according to TMR, eight people have lost their life in incidents involving electric scooters in 2024 and that in that last five years over three thousand people have presented to twenty-six participating emergency departments in Queensland is unacceptable. With a new Government now installed following the 2024 State Election, Sandy has raised with both the new Minister for Police and the Minister for Transport and Main Roads. We will continue these efforts including taking forward suggestions from our first responders and if any innovations are being investigated to alert parents/police regarding speeding of their children.

In addition, we have received enquiries on what are residents’ rights in terms of citizen arrests. In response, our office has requested clarification from the Government and will update once a response is received.

Education in schools

The following has been the latest response to Sandy’s advocacy for improved education on the existing rules regarding electric bikes and scooters in schools.

Personal mobility devices can include e-scooters, e-skateboards, and self-balancing single wheeled devices. They are considered a type of vehicle so users must comply with the rules for personal mobility devices and the Queensland Road Rules, and those rules are the responsibility of TMR, further information is available at www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/personal-mobility-devices.

The electric bicycle also known as an e-bike assisted by power when riding. Users are required to follow the bicycle road rules and obey the general Queensland Road Rules.

Information regarding rules for personal mobility devices as well as electric bikes is available on the Queensland Government’s website at www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices.

School road safety is a matter requiring whole-of-community awareness and commitment.

The Department of Education works closely with TMR to support education as an important strategy to promote safer road-user attitudes and behaviours around schools. Further resources are available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au/safety/school-road-safety/About-school-road-safety.

The Australian Curriculum provides opportunities for all students to build their understanding of safety issues that they may encounter in their daily lives. Schools make decisions about the context in which the safety focus area of the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education is taught in line with the needs of students and the local community. This may include personal mobility devices.

To protect students against foreseeable risk of injury or harm associated with road use, Queensland state schools address road safety concerns in a number of ways, depending on the school’s individual context. 

Queensland state schools have a strong focus on student safety and as part of this, road safety is regularly highlighted at school.

Schools have the option of delivering road safety as an elective topic in Senior Health (2019) as outlined in the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority syllabus.

Individual school principals and school communities, including parents work together and are best placed to address issues of concern regarding student road safety, including decisions to engage with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) or other road safety groups.

We would encourage residents to email us via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au with any feedback after they speak with their school principal.

Further information

The below information is regarding what is determined a ‘non-compliant’ electric bike which is also available at www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/electric-bicycle-rules:

Non-compliant electric bikes

Your motorised bike is non-compliant and can’t be ridden on public roads or paths if it has any of the following:

  • a petrol-powered or internal combustion engine
  • an electric motor capable of generating over 200 watts (that isn’t a pedalec)
  • an electric motor that is the primary source of power.

For example, if your bike has a petrol-powered engine attached before or after purchase, it is non-compliant. If your bike’s electric motor can help up to speeds in excess of 25km/h without cutting off, it is non-compliant. If your bike has non-functioning pedals that do not propel the bike, it is non-compliant. If you can twist a throttle and ride your bike using the bike’s motor power only, without using the pedals, it is non-compliant.

Non-compliant bikes may only be ridden on private property with no public access.

If a non-compliant bike is to be ridden legally on a road, it must comply with the Australian Design Rules requirements for a motorcycle and be registered.

Other specific regulations and potential fines are also available on our April 2023 Noosa 360 update at www.sandybolton.com/electric-bikes-and-scooters-regulations-april-2023.

For those wishing to advocate with the relevant Queensland Ministers, please consider emailing the following:

Please copy our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward us any response you receive.

For our previous Noosa 360 update on electric bikes and scooters, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=Electric+Bikes.

Updates on many local matters are available on Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter via www.sandybolton.com/newsletters. This also ensures you receive any future Noosa related surveys or polls.