New South Wales is considering a plan to halve the maximum power and top speed of ebikes, after a rider died in a collision with a garbage truck in central Sydney.
NSW police also issued a plea for parents who were considering buying an ebike for their child as a Christmas present to stick to legal bikes rather than more powerful and dangerous models.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, told 2GB radio on Tuesday morning that – in response to concerns raised before the latest death – the state government was considering a “serious change” to the maximum power of legal ebikes.
Minns said the government currently allows ebikes on the road that have up to 500 watts of power. New rules, if put forward, would limit that to 250 watts.
“We spent a lot of time on the road in my job, and we see some kids on bikes that are more like motorbikes,” the premier said. “They can go as fast as a car, and as a result, people can get hurt.
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“It means the highest limit you can travel at is currently 50 to 60km an hour. That’ll be reduced [under proposed new rules] to 25 to 30km/h.”
Minns said he expects the change could be done by regulation, not legislation, in the coming months.
“We do need to make a change and we want to do it,” he said.
An ebike rider died around 6am on Tuesday in Ultimo in inner Sydney after a collision with a garbage truck, NSW police said.
Police and forensics officers photograph the garbage truck at the scene of the fatal ebike accident in Ultimo on Tuesday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
The rider, a man in his 30s, was treated by paramedics at the scene, but died. The truck driver, a man, 28, was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing.
The JJ Richards & Sons rubbish truck had been turning into George Street from Little Regent Street when it collided with the ebike.
At the scene, police were seen photographing a badly damaged Lime rental ebike which was then removed on a tow truck. The bike’s helmet was still clipped into its holder in the bike’s front basket.
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The ebike is loaded on to a truck at the scene of the fatal accident. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
A passerby said he saw police cover the man’s motionless body, lying near the lorry’s front right wheel, with a protective tent.
Police established a crime scene and began an investigation. No charges have been laid.
A protective tent at the site of the accident. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
On Tuesday NSW police urged parents to only buy legal ebikes for their children for Christmas this year, saying officers were cracking down on modified bikes and dangerous riding.
David Driver, the commander assistant commissioner of traffic and highway patrol, said parents had a responsibility to ensure any purchase was not modified and to ensure their kids were able to ride a bike safely before they went on to the road or footpath.
“Don’t get pressured by your children, peers or salespeople into buying the most powerful bike,” he said in a statement. “Police don’t want someone to make a mistake that costs them their life or causes them serious injury.
“We have seen more modified bikes and powerful motors fitted. We need riders to understand the dangers of riding on one wheel, without a helmet or in the dark with no lights.”
He said parents needed to be aware about how easy it can be to modify an ebike.