Bellarine police target illegal e-bike use

POLICE on the Bellarine Peninsula are urging parents and guardians to make sure their children’s e-bikes are not breaking the rules.

E-bikes are legal in Australia and their use has soared over the past two years, but this has come with a rise in young people using illegal and modified e-bikes and riding them in a dangerous manner.

Senior Sergeant Dean Parrello, officer in charge at the Bellarine Police Station, said illegal e-bike use by young people was becoming a significant national issue.

“I don’t believe the problem is as bad here as it is in other areas, but it is on the rise,” he said.

Sgt Parrello said parents and guardians had an important role to play in ensuring children were using safe and compliant bikes.

“This is not something we can simply police our way out of. It is a shared responsibility that starts at home,” he said.

“If your child is riding a modified or illegal e-bike, the choice is simple: remove access to the bike and dispose of it.”

Victoria Police has conducted crackdowns on illegal e-bike use, and Bellarine police are accepting surrendered e-bikes at the station to be destroyed.

Sgt Parrello said officers from the station had recently intercepted four riders on non-compliant e-bikes.

He said the riders were cautioned rather than fined on the condition they surrendered the bikes for destruction, but police could pursue the matter through the courts if the bikes were not handed in.

In Victoria, a legal e-bike has a maximum continuous rated power output of no more than 250 watts, motor assistance that cuts off after reaching 25km/h and functioning pedals.

On shared public roads and paths, e-bikes must follow the same road rules as a bicycle.

Any electric bike that exceeds the legal power output or continues providing motor assistance above 25km/h is classified as a motor vehicle.

Many bikes marketed as e-bikes exceed those power and speed limits, making them non-compliant motor vehicles that cannot be legally registered.

Illegal modifications can include toggle switches that override power and speed limits, bikes without functional pedals, and the addition of internal combustion engines.

Sgt Parrello said anyone aware of dangerous e-bike riding should report it to Crime Stoppers online at crimestoppersvic.com.au or by phoning 1800 333 000.

“Reports can be made anonymously and will come directly to me,” he said.

“Providing an address at a minimum, and ideally a name or description, allows us to follow up directly with responsible adults and take appropriate action.”