OPINION: NSW Roads Minister Jenny Atchinson and NSW Police have given a clear two finger salute to pedestrians and motorists by moving to legislation e-scooters under a new regulatory framework, including speed and minimum age requirements, the only problem is that NSW Police appear to not be policing the open flaunting of laws by riders, instead they are mounting revenue raising operations against motorists while failing to prosecute bike riders, who have modified their scooters and bikes.

Their modus operandi for scooter and e bike law breakers appears to be more about what they describe as “education” than actual prosecutions for offences involving e-bikes.

In a statement issued to ChannelNews a spokesperson for NSW Police said “NSW Police, including Traffic & Highway Patrol Command officers, conduct multiple public safety operations in relation to education and enforcement for e-bike, push bike and pedestrian safety.

“Police have regular operations around Sydney’s CBD and beachside suburbs focused on educating e-bike riders on safe riding practices”.

They have not explained why motorists are targeted with fines and bike riders with an “education” lesson.

This is despite pedestrians being killed by e-bike users in the past.

This week a pedestrian died after being hit by an allegedly illegally modified e-bike at 80 km/h while crossing the road.

The 69-year-old man was returning home from a grocery run just before 7pm yesterday when was struck by the bike in Victoria.

He suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of the collision.

Currently in NSW there are two types of permitted e-bikes: Electrically power-assisted cycles and power-assisted pedal cycles.

The only problem is that hundreds of users of e-bikes and e-scooters are modifying their e-bikes and scooters with the NSW Government appearing to have no mechanism in place to police the modification of devices to the extent that they become what has been described as “pedestrian” missiles.

In NSW the Chris Minns Labor Government have failed to legislate to stop or make illegal the modification of e-bikes despite the risks.

A simple search online reveals several ways to make an e-bike go faster, including modifying the motor, battery, controller settings, and even the tyres and gears.

In Australia ChannelNews investigations reveal that upgrading to a higher-voltage battery or a more powerful motor is widespread.

Doing this increase speeds well beyond the 20klm an hour cap that NSW Roads Minister Jenny Atchinson is proposing, with users able to easily adjust controller settings in an effort to increase acceleration and top speed.

Manufacturers of the bikes are openly revealing how a user can modify their e-bike or scooter purchase.

https://www.kingbullbike.com/blogs/news/how-to-remove-the-speed-limit-on-an-electric-bikes.

Another issue is identification with e-bike and e-scooter riders allowed to roam NSW streets and roads without any form of registration or licence. In some cases, e-bike riders have hit vehicles on roads or smashed into mirrors when riding on pavements.

Currently e-bike and e-scooter users can ride on pavements, and even roads without any registration or a means for anyone they hit being able to identify them when they ride off.

Then there is the issue of NSW Police who are failing to control illegal and seriously dangerous riding by e-bike and e-scooter riders who are riding on pavements and roads at well over 20klm per hour.

These riders appear to be giving police a two finger salute in places such as Dee Why, Manly or Surry Hills as they openly ride past police officers without any action being taken for riding two up or without helmets.

“When did you last hear of a police operation to breathalyse some of pavement riders for drugs or alcohol” one concerned Mosman retailer said recently.

“While it’s okay to slap $150 fines on motorists for being over 5klm an hour over the speed limit it appears that the NSW Government and Police don’t have the resources to manage e-bikes and scooters”.

NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison confirmed on 2GB’s Ben Fordham Live that the government is acting on a parliamentary inquiry’s recommendation to legalise e-scooters under a proposed new regulatory framework.

“We are really trying to obviously regulate an entirely new kind of form of transport,” Ms Aitchison said.

“At the same time, (we want to) ensure we have safer roads and pathways for people right across our community.”

The only problem is that e-bikes became a society problem several years ago with the Government now deciding that it needs regulation.

Under the proposed changes e-scooters will be allowed on shared paths and some roads, speed limits of between 10 and 20 km/h will apply, depending on the environment, riders will be restricted to roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h or less and still capped at 20 km/h and a minimum age limit will be introduced, though the exact figure has not yet been confirmed.

Earlier this week the Sydney Council il was calling for 30 klm an hour speed limits for motorist in an effort to protect the safety of pedestrians and e-scooter riders.

While the motorist can get fined an e-scooter can get away with a two finger salute.

As for the death of a pedestrian this week Police said the e-bike had been “modified significantly”, including with additional batteries to increase the capacity of the bike.

“It’s very dangerous if you’re traveling at 80-90km on a bicycle, you’re putting yourself and the rest of the community at risk,” Major Collision Investigation Unit inspector Craig McEvoy said.

McEvoy urged riders not to modify their electric bikes.