Tag: Bicycle queensland

BQ’s Federal Budget reflections

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 13 May 2026

The Federal Government’s 2026-27 Budget has delivered a boost for active transport and e-bike safety, with new funding commitments that could shape how Australians ride and move for the next decade.

Among the headline measures is a $500 million investment over 10 years for walking and cycling infrastructure, alongside targeted funding to improve e-bike product safety standards and import compliance. The new infrastructure funding package will provide $50 million annually to support the construction and upgrade of bikeways, shared paths and walking infrastructure around the country. While details on project allocation are yet to be released, the commitment marks one of the largest dedicated federal active transport investments in recent years.

The funding arrives as state and local governments continue to grapple with rising demand for safer riding and walking corridors, particularly in growing urban areas where separated infrastructure remains limited.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Dr Matthew Burke said: “We’re delighted to see our nation’s Active Transport Infrastructure Fund become a long-term commitment, as has long been the case with road and rail funding. This was a good move by the Commonwealth and will be well-received by the millions of Australians who ride bikes.”

BQ is seeking a policy change that would build further cycling infrastructure as part of Commonwealth transport projects. When transport minister, Anthony Albanese sought to introduce a ‘positive provision’ policy that writes into Commonwealth grants that states must provide walking and cycling infrastructure as part of all urban road and rail projects. Footpaths and bikeways alongside and over the freeways would no longer be ‘gold-plating’ but become essential parts of the project. These policies are not controversial: they are widely adopted across the world; all Australia’s state governments have adopted them.

The Budget also includes $6.6 million to strengthen Australia’s product safety and recall systems for e-bikes and related devices. BQ and other state and national bike advocacy groups have been calling on the Commonwealth to take such steps. The reforms are expected to focus on improving compliance with recognised standards, including the European EN15194 standard, which limits pedal-assist e-bikes to 250 watts of continuous power and pedal assistance up to 25km/h.

Dr Burke said: “We believe this may involve new actions taken through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. This will hopefully penalise retailers who sell the most dangerous of the illegal, high-speed devices that are currently masquerading as pushbikes, and ensure they never get on our streets, paths or parks.”

BQ is still calling on the Commonwealth to introduce compulsory declarations by e-bike importers to state that they are only bringing in product that meets EN15194. This would also help stop the illegal devices from reaching our shores.

While the Federal Budget introduces stronger safety oversight and infrastructure funding, it stops short of offering direct purchase incentives for individuals buying e-bikes. There should be consideration for e-bikes to be included in Fringe Benefits Tax exemptions currently available for electric vehicles, as the change would help reduce congestion, emissions and transport costs. No such measure was included in this year’s Budget.

E-bikes and e-mobility are getting people moving.

The 2026-27 Budget signals that cycling infrastructure and e-bike policy are increasingly becoming part of mainstream transport planning at a federal level. But we will wait to see how effective this seed funding can be at delivering the major infrastructure changes needed, and whether the mess of non-compliant device import and sales can be cleaned up.

Tags active transport, advocacy, Bicycle queensland, budget, cycling

Advocacy

BQ responds to latest e-mobility recommendations

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 8 May 2026

BQ's E-bike rally at Brisbane Botanic Gardens 21-04-2026 to save safe legal e-bikes. Photo by Element Photo and Video Productions.

The Parliamentary Committee’s latest recommendations into Queensland’s proposed e-mobility laws still fail to properly address the core safety issues facing the state, while creating new uncertainty for riders, industry and enforcement agencies.

This is despite 5,000 public submissions to the committee, 95% of which are telling the Government that they are wrong on licences, very low speed limits and age restrictions for safe, legal e-bikes.

Bicycle Queensland welcomes only three of the proposed recommendations of the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee to amend the Transport and Other Legislation (Managing E-mobility Use and Protecting Our Communities) Amendment Bill 2026. The recommendations still avoids tackling the main issues around the sale of electric motorbikes and non-compliant devices in Queensland – despite the need to close the loopholes that allow it.

read the latest recommendations

In terms of positive outcomes, BQ supports Recommendation 2, which would allow compliant e-bikes built to previous versions of the EN15194 standard to remain legal.

“Grandfathering earlier EN15194 compliant e-bikes is a sensible recommendation. It recognises that hundreds of thousands of safe, low-speed and low-power e-bikes are already in use across Queensland. Compliant e-bikes keep people moving and reduce congestion,” said BQ’s CEO Dr Matthew Burke.

We do have serious concerns about several other recommendations, particularly around proposed certification and exemption frameworks.

Recommendation 3 proposes investigating exemption pathways for devices that do not fully meet EN15194 standards, including adaptive e-trikes and mobility devices. Bicycle Queensland says the recommendation lacks detail and appears to underestimate the complexity and cost involved.

“There has been little evidence that the committee has properly thought through how such a scheme would work in practice,” Dr Burke said. “BQ supports e-mobility access for adaptive e-trikes and mobility devices. But a new certification and exemption process may require an entirely new network for assessment, compliance logging, verification and auditing, alongside specialist training for those undertaking assessments. None of that has been costed or explained.”

Similar concerns were raised about Recommendation 4, which proposes a statewide assurance and labelling scheme for compliant e-bikes.

“The bike industry, retailers and riders all welcome the addition of a possible pathway to compliance for the tens of thousands of safe, legal e-bikes that do not have compliance markings (as they weren’t ever needed before). But we need clarity before any new certification system is introduced.”

“At the moment, the recommendation is vague and risks creating confusion and unnecessary red tape for compliant riders and businesses. This new system of compliance will come at great cost and needs proper planning, lest it be abused and therefore ineffective. It needs a lot of consultation with the bike industries, advocates and other stakeholders to get this right. That can’t be done this month.”

We are particularly critical of Recommendation 5, which proposes exemption mechanisms for people unable to hold a driver licence due to disability, medical conditions or age.

“This recommendation still links the use of safe, legal e-bikes to driver licensing. Compliant, EN-standard e-bikes are low-speed, low-power devices that already operate within strict limits.

“Licensing requirements for compliant e-bikes should be scrapped entirely, not patched over with convoluted carve-out systems.”

There have been minor modifications to proposed footpath and shared-path speed rules but they remain poorly drafted and disconnected from how active transport infrastructure actually works in Queensland.

We welcome efforts to better define footpaths and separate them from shared paths, but the bill still fails to recognise multi-use trails and tourism infrastructure such as rail trails.

“That omission creates a significant legal grey area. Queensland has invested heavily in rail trails and recreational tourism infrastructure in National Parks, yet the bill still does not clearly account for those environments. Riders and operators could be caught in a legal trap.”

The committee’s suggestion of reduced speed limits within 10 metres of pedestrians was also described as impractical and unenforceable.

“The recommendation simply does not reflect real-world conditions,” Dr Burke said.

“A pedestrian could be sitting on a park bench, walking on the opposite side of a road, or using a separate footpath entirely. The proposal creates ambiguity for riders and law enforcement alike.”

While Recommendation 8 suggests guidance for companies like public hire schemes like Neuron and Lime, the likelihood is they will all leave Queensland. The licensing requirements and age limits will remove too much of their business for them to stay viable, as they told the Committee at hearings last week.

Recommendation 9 proposes a 12-month review of the legislation if passed. But we question whether the bill itself should proceed at all. “The missing link is comprehensive road safety education in primary and secondary schools. If Queensland is serious about improving behaviour and safety outcomes, and lowering the road toll education needs to begin long before someone gets in a car.”

“The best use of taxpayer money would be to scrap this bill and focus directly on the key safety issues.”

“That means targeting the importation and sale of illegal high-powered devices, cracking down on retailers doing the wrong thing, and properly funding Queensland Police to enforce the rules that already exist.”

“The current bill largely fails to do any of that. The Committee’s LNP majority seems to have no way out of the mess they themselves created. The Labor minority report makes clear just how emphatic the community response has been by Queenslanders of all walks of life to this terrible bill,” said BQ’s CEO Dr. Matthew Burke.

“We are amazed that the same rogue shops selling the same illegal high-speed and overpowered devices that created this whole mess, are still going to be in business and be allowed to sell the same dangerous products from 1^st of July. It’s the number one thing this Committee should have done. That they’ve gone a year now and not realised it is stunning,” said BQ CEO Dr Matthew Burke.

“How the committee continues to get this so wrong is beyond us. They heard from internationally significant bicycle safety researchers who said 10km/h will create risk to riders and to those around them on paths as they becomes so unstable, but they refused to listen.”

“The bill remains a stinker and needs to be pulled.”

defend safe, legal e-bikes

Tags active transport, Bicycle queensland, cycling, Queensland

Advocacy

Victora Park bike access confirmed

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 8 May 2026

Bike riders and pedestrians will continue to have access through Victoria Park during early works for the Brisbane 2032 stadium precinct, with a temporary protected shared path set to open from June 1.

While large sections of Victoria Park public green space will progressively close as construction begins, the temporary corridor will maintain an important north-south active transport connection between the North Brisbane Bikeway and Herston.

The temporary route will run from the end of the North Brisbane Bikeway along Gilchrist Avenue towards the land bridge at Herston, providing a wide, protected space for people walking, riding and rolling through the area.

The measure is expected to remain in place while a permanent dedicated shared path is constructed, which will be part of a broader set of active transport routes as part of the infrastructure delivery.

The connection is significant for commuters, recreational riders and local residents who regularly use Victoria Park as a safer and more direct route between the inner north, Kelvin Grove, Herston and the CBD.

Maintaining riding and pedestrian access during major construction projects is essential, particularly as Brisbane prepares for rapid population growth and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Matthew Burke said: “We know cyclists have been very worried. But we’re really grateful the project team has thought of us, planned for us, designed for us, and are now implementing a reasonable solution as early works begin. We’ll have a safe temporary route through Gilchrist Ave at first, then what should be a safe route off the North Brisbane Bikeway and around the stadium in the construction phase.”

He said: “We should maintain pretty good access to and from the North Brisbane Bikeway right through the stadium development. It won’t be as convenient for those coming from Herston and the Enoggera Creek Bike Bridge, and cyclists will have to keep alert for construction traffic.”

“We’ve also asked for all heavy vehicles to use protection side guards, also known as ‘skirts’, to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe, like they do in London.”

The temporary arrangements come amid growing community concern about maintaining safe walking and cycling access during large-scale infrastructure works across Brisbane ahead of the Games.

Victoria Park’s bikeways have become increasingly important transport corridors in recent years. They provide connections to schools, hospitals, universities and the city centre, as well as being key training and recreational bicycle routes.

The long-term plan for the precinct is said to include expanded active transport infrastructure designed to improve connectivity across the inner north, with dedicated cycling and pedestrian facilities expected to form part of the final network. Delivering permanent, high-quality active transport infrastructure as part of the Games legacy is vitally important for Brisbane and the Games.

Further details about construction staging and future active transport infrastructure are expected as planning for the Victoria Park stadium precinct progresses.

Tags active transport, Bicycle queensland, Brisbane

Advocacy

CEO Update: Queensland’s draft e-mobility laws

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 6 May 2026

From Dr. Matthew Burke

Over 3,200 submissions were received by the Parliamentary Committee reviewing Queensland’s proposed new e-mobility laws. This is one of the biggest out-pourings of concern about a piece of legislation the Parliament has seen in the last decade. The local bicycle user groups (BUGs), especially the Brisbane and Toowoomba BUGs, Space for Cycling and the Story Bridge Active Travel Alliance, have all worked tirelessly. Thank you everyone! Well done!

Inquiry recommendations

bq’s solution

action you can take

updates

Analysis of the submissions conducted by the bike advocacy community reveals only 4% or less of the thousands of submissions released thus far are likely form-letter responses. That’s incredibly low for submissions to an inquiry like this. What this shows is that Queenslanders from all walks of life are clearly unimpressed with the proposed laws and have taken the time to write genuine submissions.

More than 90% of the submissions support Bicycle Queensland’s positions. Queenslanders don’t want car licences for safe, legal e-bikes. They don’t want 10km/h speeds. They don’t want shared paths and rail trails treated like footpaths. They don’t want low age limits. They want all the safe, legal e-bikes they’ve purchased to stay compliant.

bq’s submission

Andrew Demack, BQ’s Director of Advocacy, and I appeared as witnesses to the committee in late April, along with a who’s who of affected stakeholders. The Bicycle Industries Australia, the Brisbane West Bicycle Users Group, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Association, Lime, Neuron, Uber-Eats, Doordash, the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, the big local governments, the disability sector, the Public Advocate, and even a coalition of 15 Queensland transport professors. The message received by the Committee was loud and clear throughout: this bill has been badly drafted; there are issues that are not yet resolved; and, as BQ has made abundantly clear, the key problem of the illegal devices won’t be fixed. The bill still allows the same shops selling the same illegal bikes and scooters to remain in business and keep selling their same illegal products under the ‘private property use only’ loophole. This is the same way every illegal device currently on the streets has already been sold in Queensland.

At this late stage we hope the bill is at least delayed, if not pulled entirely, for a rethink. BQ has long had ‘off-ramps’ available to the government to help solve this mess.

We know proof-of-age would give the Queensland Police Service all they need to clamp down on illegal device riders – who the cops need to ID – without the overkill of requiring cyclists to have a driver’s licence. Changing this in the bill would solve all the discriminatory issues compulsory licence-holding creates for the disabled, seniors, international students and others. This would keep our shared e-mobility schemes (Lime, Neuron) alive in Queensland and allow international tourists to use them during the Olympics. It would keep Uber-Eats drivers in a job and ensure Dominos can still get a pizza to your door.

We know that if the Department can do a good job defining a footpath in the legislation, they can then achieve what the Parliamentary Committee wanted in placing a speed restriction on footpaths, but leave alone all the shared paths, rail trails and shared multi-use trails that cyclists use. That would stop forcing local governments to spend hundreds-of-millions of dollars across the state assessing, then signing, every shared path or trail they want to assign a non-default speed to. We also know that cyclists are much more stable, upright, and able to manage road risk at 15km/h or 20km/h than at 10km/h, if the government remains determined to put a speed limit just on footpaths.

We know the Bicycle Industries Australia proposal for e-bike compliance/assurance to be provided by retailers, and labelled on a sticker on the frame, would provide a pathway to compliance for those of us without a permanent standards mark on our safe, legal e-bikes. This would also help the police with enforcement. The bike industry has already thought through how this can work.

We are calling on the Transport Minister to intervene and #savelegalebikes. There were signs the Committee members have realised the unintended consequences of the proposed laws, and are considering the possible ways out.

Minister Mickelberg can step in and save this.

defend safe, legal e-bikes

Tags active transport, Bicycle queensland, ceo update, Queensland

Advocacy

Understanding the impacts of Queensland’s draft e-mobility legislation

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 28 April 2026

In light of the Queensland Government’s Draft e-mobility legislation, BQ hosted a pop up advocacy event in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens on the morning of April 21. With a lot of confusion around who the laws may effect and how, we wanted to be able to meet concerned riders to either inspect their bike for compliance, and hear how the draft laws may impact them.

With over 100 riders dropping past, many bikes were inspected. Of the 40 bikes we managed to inspect to determine if they would meet the updated compliance, only 1 passed. However, all 40 are safe, legal e-bikes that are compliant under the current EN15194 regulations.

Along with other riding advocacy groups, BQ has major concerns about other new laws, including the maximum 10km/h speed for safe, legal e-bikes on shared paths and trails, and the need for a car licence and the under-16 ban.

how to defend safe, legal e-bikes

We heard from riders who express concern that their use of a safe, legal e-bike to get around, meet friends and stay active might see them breaking the law – thanks to legislation that has been rushed through, without proper consultation to understand the negative impacts to riders of safe, legal e-bikes that meet the global compliance standards.

‘This bike has just been so fantastic to open up my experience of Brisbane,’ one rider told us, who uses her e-bike for commuting, but also to visit other parts of Brisbane for nights out with her partner or friends. ‘And I’m being classed in the same sort of category as the illegal motorbikes, which is very unfair.’

‘We are getting people out of cars, we are getting them onto public transport, we are getting them onto bikes – we should keep that up,’ Joe Kelly MP told us while visiting the event. ‘If 95% of people are telling you you’re getting something wrong, you should probably listen to them.’

BQ had other politicians come along to show support, including Mark Bailey and Bart Mellish.

‘This exercise was useful in demonstrating to the public the scale of the problem of this bill, in currently having no pathway to compliance for bikes without a permanent EN15194 marking,’ said BQ’s CEO Dr Matthew Burke. ‘So many of the existing safe, legal e-bikes are going to be made non-compliant.’

While thousands of people have made submissions as a response to the draft legislation, you can still make an impact. Write to your local member to express your point of view, and if you’d like to support Bicycle Queensland you can do so via a donation, or better yet – by becoming a BQ Member.

Tags active transport, advocacy, Bicycle queensland, cycling, Queensland

Events

Everything you need to know for BQ’s Weekend at Pomona

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 28 April 2026

BQ’s Weekend at Pomona is closing in fast, with our latest ride event taking place from May 16-17 – although we will be on-site at Pomona Showgrounds from the afternoon of May 15.

We have a complete rider sheet with timings, essential phone numbers and a suggested pack list prepared.

read the rider sheet

All the main rides have been outlined in a Ride with GPS event. Riders need to download the routes to their phones or GPS devices for safe route navigation on the rides. You will need to sign up for a free Ride with GPS account to download the routes.

head to ride with gps

There is a ride briefing online now, for details on the event and how it will run. BQ will have short rider briefings on the morning of each ride, as listed in the event sheet.

We also have a range of advice around what bike you should bring to BQ’s Weekend at Pomona, to make sure you enjoy the weekend away:

If you have more questions, don’t forget to reach out to the BQ team: info@BQ.org.au.

Camping at Pomona Showgrounds

If you want to camp, ensure you contact the showgrounds to book your tent or caravan space. We’ve had the below maps provided for an idea on the layout.

not entered? enter now!

Tags Bicycle queensland, cycling, Queensland

Advocacy

Riders rally to save legal e-bikes

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 17 April 2026

Bicycle Queensland is calling on riders to join a public pop-up event in Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens on April 21 (7:15 – 8:30am), as concerns grow over proposed changes to Queensland’s e-mobility laws. The event, centred around the message #savelegalebikes, will highlight the real-world impact of the draft legislation. This includes rendering most current safe, legal e-bikes non-compliant on the 1st of July, and banning riding of e-bikes at over 10km/h on much of the state’s bikeway network.

event details

draft bill

bq’s submission

Bicycle Queensland CEO Dr Matt Burke said the proposed changes risk undermining years of progress in active transport.

“These are everyday riders on safe, legal e-bikes, purchased from reputable retailers. They are not the dangerous high-speed devices the Government was meant to be focusing on,” Dr Burke said. “Hardly any bikes have the permanent marking from the manufacturer saying “EN15194(2017)A+1″ that the draft bill requires. If you don’t have that marking there is no pathway in the legislation to become compliant, even if your bike meets all the standards, is low-powered and low-speed.”

More than 200,000 safe, legal e-bikes will be affected, and at least as many riders. These safe legal e-bikes are worth over $900,000 according to Bicycle Industries Australia (BIA) estimates.

Dr Burke said, “If this legislation is passed in its present form, we will effectively kill safe, legal e-biking in Queensland by the end of the year. There is a short amnesty, but without a pathway to compliance, my bike and hundreds of thousands of others will be junk.”

At the event, riders will be invited to have their bikes investigated , with results publicly tallied to demonstrate the scale of the issue. Brisbane riders can also see maps of all the routes they will no longer be able to ride more than 10km/h, removing so much of the bikeway network. The exercise is designed to show how broadly the changes could impact ordinary Queenslanders. BQ will also be joined by eScootNow who will also do a pop-up safety check for personal mobility devices (PMDs).

Bicycle Queensland is advocating for targeted amendments, including:

· A clear pathway to compliance for existing e-bikes

· Removal of proposed 10km/h speed limits on shared paths

· No introduction of age restrictions

· No requirement for riders to hold a driver’s licence

“Safe, legal e-biking is not, and has never been the problem,” Dr Burke said. “We are making Queensland the most difficult place on earth to ride a safe, legal e-bike, without fixing the real problem. The dangerous high-speed illegal devices will still be on sale in the very same shops currently selling them on 1^st July under this draft bill.”

The event will also provide an opportunity for riders to share their experiences and explain how the proposed laws would affect their daily travel, recreation, and wellbeing.

Bicycle Queensland is encouraging all riders, supporters, and community members to attend and make their voices heard. Event details are on our event calendar.

Tags active transport, advocacy, Bicycle queensland

Advocacy

BQ’s submission on e-mobility bill

Post author By Mike Blewitt
Post date 2 April 2026

Bicycle Queensland has delivered our submission to the Transport and Other Legislation (Managing E-mobility Use and Protecting Our Communities) Amendment Bill 2026 to the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee.

read the draft bill

While BQ is supportive of many elements of the Bill, we have outlined the main parts of the Bill that BQ does not support, as we seek to defend safe, legal e-bike use. Licensing, 10km/h limits on shared paths, age restrictions and a lack of clear e-bike definitions will harm the uptake of safe, legal e-biking and reduce participation in active transport and recreation. This will have a direct impact on road congestion and road trauma involving bike riders.

This Bill will make Queensland the hardest place in the world to ride a safe, legal e-bike.

And it still won’t fix the problem.

You can read our final submission:

bicycle queensland’s formal submission

If you stand with Bicycle Queensland and don’t want to see impacts to safe, legal e-bike use – please act now. Every voice counts! We encourage you to use the key points of our submission, or the complete submission.

Urgent changes BQ is requesting

1. A clear and workable e-bike definition – that covers the 200,000+ safe, legal e-bikes Queenslanders own now.

2. Dropping all licensing, speed limits and age bans for legal e-bikes – they are an unreasonable imposition, supported by absolutely no evidence, and are unnecessary if we get rid of the illegal devices.

3. Investment in the active transport infrastructure Queensland needs – as not one additional dollar has been committed to this, despite the Parliamentary Inquiry’s recommendation.

You can take the actions below:

Write to your local State MP, to explain the positive impacts of e-mobility and how the above recommendations would limit your use of active transport and recreation. Look up your local member here online.
Write to the Minister for Transport at email: transportandmainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au.
Join Bicycle Queensland. Help us fight for you for just $49 via a BQ Supporter membership. Or get insurance too with our full, concession or household membership packages.

Join bicycle queensland

Tags active transport, advocacy, Bicycle queensland, cycling, emobility