NSW Moves to Ban Children from Riding E-Bikes Under New Minimum Age Rule

Government Announces Safety-Driven E-Bike Reforms

The New South Wales (NSW) government has unveiled plans to introduce a minimum age requirement for riding electric bicycles (e-bikes) across the state — a move aimed at improving safety and reducing a surge in accidents involving young riders. The Transport for NSW-led expert review will recommend an age between 12 and 16 years old, with the final decision expected by mid-year, as part of broader reforms to regulate e-bike use.

Under current NSW road rules, there is no legal minimum age to ride an e-bike, meaning children of all ages can legally operate the electric vehicles and even carry passengers if the bike’s design allows. The lack of age restrictions has alarmed road safety experts, parents and authorities alike as electric bicycles become increasingly common on shared paths and public roads.

Rising Safety Concerns and Surge in E-Bike Use

E-bikes have surged in popularity in NSW, with roughly 760,000 registered devices in use throughout the state. While many riders use e-bikes for commuting, personal mobility and recreation, authorities say the rapid growth has also coincided with increased safety incidents.

Advocates of tighter rules point to steep rises in injuries — including more than 230 reported e-bike-related injuries and several fatalities in the first seven months of 2025 — which outpaced records from the previous year. These figures have underscored the perceived need for regulatory updates to manage both legal devices and illegal high-powered models that can travel at higher speeds.

Transport Minister John Graham has emphasised that children as young as 10 or 11 may lack the physical and cognitive ability to handle the weight, speed and complexity of many e-bikes, raising risks not just for young riders but for other pedestrians and road users.

Expert Review to Define Age Limits

The expert review being conducted by Transport for NSW will also explore whether teenagers and children should be permitted to carry passengers on e-bikes, an activity that has been linked to serious accidents. Consultations will include child development specialists, road safety researchers, parents and young people themselves.

Recommendations from the review are due to be provided to the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Roads by June 2026, after which the government will decide on the precise age threshold and any accompanying rules.

Expanded Road Safety Measures

The age limit proposal forms part of a broader suite of reforms announced by the Minns Labor government to make e-bike usage safer in NSW. Those reforms include adopting European safety and performance standards (EN15194) that mandate a maximum power output of 250 watts and assisted speeds capped at 25 km/h — measures designed to ensure e-bikes behave more like traditional bicycles and are less likely to overwhelm less experienced riders.

NSW will phase in these standards over a three-year transition period ending in March 2029, allowing current owners time to adjust while ensuring new bikes meet updated criteria.

Police will also be granted stronger powers to confiscate and destroy illegal, high-powered e-bikes that do not meet legal specifications, targeting devices that have contributed to reckless and unsafe behaviour on streets and footpaths.

Community and Parental Reaction

The proposal to ban children from riding e-bikes below a certain age has garnered mixed reactions. Many parents and road safety advocates have welcomed the move, citing concerns for vulnerable pedestrians and the risk children face navigating traffic at higher speeds. Recent public commentary reflects broader unease about e-bike riders — especially minors — on busy footpaths and shared pathways.

Some critics argue that setting age limits must be balanced with education and infrastructure improvements — such as dedicated bike lanes and rider training — to not unduly restrict mobility while still addressing safety. Others have highlighted that legally compliant, lower-powered e-bikes can support sustainable transport and help young people get to school or work independently if used responsibly.

Comparison with Other Jurisdictions

Western Australia already enforces a minimum age of 16 for e-bike riders, with fines applicable to underage operators. NSW’s potential age range of 12–16 reflects deliberation over how stringent the rule should be and whether it aligns with developmental benchmarks for safe riding.

Supporters of robust regulation argue that NSW’s proactive approach — combining age limits with stricter safety standards — may serve as a model for other Australian states and territories grappling with similar safety concerns as e-bike use proliferates.

Next Steps and Legislative Timeline

As NSW moves toward potentially codifying a minimum e-bike riding age, government officials underscore that the consultation and review process is designed to ground decisions in evidence and community feedback. Key stakeholders such as child safety groups, cycling advocates, transport planners and parents will have opportunities to influence final policy settings.

Once recommendations are finalised in June, new legislative measures could be introduced later in 2026, with implementation rolling out in phases. The intention, the government says, is to strike a measured balance between maintaining e-bikes as a green transport option and bolstering safety for all road users — particularly young and vulnerable riders.

Looking Ahead: Safety and Mobility

As e-bikes become a fixture of NSW’s transport landscape, debate over age limits and safety standards reflects broader trends internationally. Advocates hope that clear rules, coupled with education and enforcement, will reduce injuries and fatalities while preserving e-bikes as an accessible, low-emission alternative for short-distance travel. The government’s forthcoming decisions in 2026 will shape how these electric vehicles integrate into daily life across the state in years to come.