Following advocacy from Noosa MP Sandy Bolton and others, reforms were introduced last year and recently passed to improve the safety of riders, drivers and pedestrians alike, including harsher penalties and new offences for riders who ride without due care and attention.
“These expand the application of careless riding offences for personal mobility device and bicycle riders from roads to all road-related areas such as footpaths and bicycle paths and requires riders to stop and provide their details in the event of a crash,” Sandy said.
The rise of battery powered bikes and scooters has been a common sight on our streets and pathways. However, they can be intimidating with their speed, weaving in and out of walkers, causing accidents. The Royal College of Surgeons reported in their submission to the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, which included these reforms, that data from 20 emergency departments across Queensland shows around 100 emergency department presentations from e-scooter injuries a month.
“These bikes and scooters have been the source of many community concerns expressed to my office, mostly for speed and their impact on pedestrians, as well risks to those using, including children without the appropriate helmets. At the same time, alternative modes of transport to reduce unnecessary car journeys and emissions, as well congestion, has been commonly sought by all levels of government for a number of years. The’ trick’ is to get the right balance, and with this bill, may we see greater safety,” Sandy said.
Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group called the new maximum fine of $6,192 as unnecessarily over-reaction, however the department has stated that the penalty aligns with the existing penalty for driving a vehicle (other than a motor vehicle), a tram, a train, or an animal on a road without due care or attention.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council stated that micro-mobility providers must educate users on road rules before they can use their devices, and we should create more micro-mobility only pathways incorporating safe wayfinding routes and signage specifically for these. In response Transport and Main Roads (TMR) acknowledged the need for better separate infrastructure, and Sandy looks forward to some action on this.
“Improvements in infrastructure and greater enforcement of the rules are vital in increasing safe use of e-mobility devices. If you witness any breaches of the Queensland Road Rules, we encourage you to report these to the Queensland Police Service by emailing Policelink at policelink@police.qld.gov.au or by calling on 131 444. All information received by our police assists them in determining best compliance monitoring and where hotspots have developed,” Sandy said.
Sandy welcomes all community feedback for further advocacy to her office on 5319 3100 or email noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au
