Rejected petition Require electric bicycle users to take basic training, display licence plates and to have insurance
Electric bicycles are commonly used vehicles on our roads, with some capable of keeping up with (or indeed overtaking) motor vehicles given the new farcical 20 mph law that was recently introduced.
Many people use these electric bicycles which appear to be highly unregulated and can keep up with cars, not least if they are altered to allow higher speeds.
This petition calls for more stringent regulations on these road users, seeing as they will now be doing similar speeds to cars.
More details
I have personally witnessed many electric bicycle users disobey traffic laws, dangerously overtake cars, blast through red lights and cycle on pedestrian areas and enough, is enough.
These electric bicycles should be regulated by means of displaying license plates and have a minimum of third party insurance in order that they are held to account like all other road users.
If they collide with parked cars, disobey traffic laws to cause an accident or collide with a pedestrian, insurance and licence plates would reduce hit and runs, and prevent the non-fault party from disadvantage or hassle of launching civil claims.
Cardiff City Centre is a perfect example of this, where every day, electric bicycle couriers speed amongst pedestrians on paved areas, namely Queen Street and St Mary's Street, with no accountability for their actions.
Compulsory training, similar to that of the motorbike licence, would also aid in reduction of incidents if the disputed 20mph limits are to remain.
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the Senedd or Welsh Government is not responsible for.
Petitions to the Senedd must call for a specific action that falls within the powers of the Senedd or Welsh Government.
In order to be exempt from the requirement to have a licence, be taxed or insured an e-bike must be classed as an Electric Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC).
In order to be classed as an EAPC, the bike must not be able to travel (under electric power) at more than 15.5mph. If the bike is capable of powered speeds in excess of this, then it is not classed as an EAPC and is actually classed as a motorcycle/moped. This means it requires a licence to ride and needs to be registered and taxed.
Driving instruction, licencing, vehicle registration , taxing and insurance are all reserved to the UK Government.
As a result, it is not possible for the Senedd to take the action called for by your petition.
You may wish to consider petitioning the UK Parliament about this issue instead: https://petition.parliament.uk
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards
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