Victoria’s public transport system is close to banning e-scooters and e-bikes as soon as later this year, citing the potential risk of fires on board.
After an e-bike caught fire on a Melbourne train earlier this year, the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning has proposed new regulations to ban battery-powered rideable vehicles on public transport that could come into effect later this year.
Consultation on new transport regulations has now concluded and the Department of Transport and Planning are currently reviewing submissions for changes.
However, the proposed rule changes are aimed at “prohibiting the carriage of all electric transportation devices” across metropolitan and V/Line trains, as well as limiting only foldable devices on buses and trams.
Furthermore, charging of e-scooters, e-bikes, and any e-transportation equipment will be banned on any public transport service in Victoria.
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However, some argue putting a ban on e-bikes may instead deter some people from taking public transport.
The Port Philip BUG (Bicycle Users Group) notes the impact statement “only deals with the possibility of fires”.
“The actual risk is not quantified. The impact statement does not deal with clear adverse impacts of the proposed legislation,” BUG said in a statement.
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The group puts forward that demographics that rely regularly on public transport, including parents, commuters, touring bike riders, seniors, food delivery riders, and people without access to a car, will be negatively and “unfairly” impacted by the ban.
However, the e-bike fire on the Melbourne train earlier this year caused the train to be evacuated and the closure of Union station on the Lilydale and Belgrave train lines.
The Victorian state government is also cracking down on the dangerous behaviour of e-riders in metro areas, particularly food delivery riders, having already fined nearly 300 riders in Melbourne.
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