Torquay police crack down on e-bikes and e-scooters

TORQUAY Police will be targeting e-bike and e-scooter usage on the Surf Coast these school holidays as phase two of Operation Electro rolls out.

Police will be targeting the illegal use of the vehicles around the region as summer holidays start and the area receives an influx of visitors.

Police initially ran the operation during the September school holidays, with a focus on education to ensure users were aware of the rules and regulations.

Senior Sergeant Adrian Bickley said this time police would turn their focus to enforcement.

“That [first] operation did cause discussions with parents regarding e-bike and e-scooter usage. As we move to summer, we’re looking more toward not only educating, but also penalties.

“We feel people have been given plenty of notice and we’ve been getting that information out. Now the onus is on the individual.”

The Geelong Highway Patrol unit will also assist their efforts, and officers are aware of the safety concerns raised by members of the community.

Snr Sgt Bickley said police wanted to ensure people who are not only living in Torquay, but also visitors, are safe throughout the summer period.

“We know we get a lot of people in the community walking around and enjoying the communities we have here. We don’t need people getting injured by people travelling too fast on an e-bike or an e-scooter.”

It is legal to ride e-scooters and e-bikes in Victoria, but users must follow the rules and regulations around their usage, including wearing a helmet, staying off footpaths and only carrying one person at a time.

For more information, head to police.vic.gov.au