Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said issues with non-compliant e-bikes imports were being faced by authorities around the country.
“We are also seeing reckless behaviour, where people are riding on footpaths, not looking out for pedestrians, [and] using really high-speed bikes to put themselves and others at risk,” he said.
Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch on Wednesday called for a ban on the import of high-powered electric scooters, following the death of a Perth father who was struck by one of the vehicles.
He told a parliamentary committee hearing the vehicle involved in the death of Thanh Phan, who was hit from behind by an e-scooter in Perth’s CBD on May 31 and died three days later, was capable of reaching speeds of up to 110km/h.
Weir said the increase in traumatic incidents in Victoria was “really concerning” and put extra pressure on an already busy health system.
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He said authorities were working with food delivery companies to address concerning behaviour including riding through the Burnley Tunnel.
As part of Operation Consider, police will target riders using overpowered or non-compliant e-bikes. Riding an unregistered vehicle can result in a $1018 fine.
Police will also use handheld speed detection devices to catch riders speeding, with fines ranging from $254 for speeds less than 10 km/h over the limit, to $1018 and possible vehicle impoundment for speeds 45km/h or more over the limit.
Under Victorian law, it is an offence for riders over the age of 12 to ride any bicycle on the footpath. Police said riders illegally using the footpath will also form part of the new crackdown.
Richmond resident Steve Harrison, 62, is calling for the police crackdown to extend beyond the CBD, citing reckless e-bike behaviour in his local area. Weir said the e-bike problem wasn’t specific to the city, and he was working with police to run operations in the suburbs.
Earlier this year, Harrison said he was injured when a shared e-bike rider illegally riding on the footpath crashed into him on Bridge Road in Richmond.
“If that [rider] had hit one of my elderly neighbours, you could have had a very serious injury,” he said.
Harrison said he reported the June incident to police, who were unable to track the rider down.
“Victoria’s footpaths are a lawless war zone,” he said. “The other thing is food delivery riders. They’re just cutting corners, left, right and centre. And you can see it’s an accident waiting to happen.
“I don’t think the state government has done enough about it and I don’t think they’ve consulted with police.”
Harrison said the absence of registration requirements for e-bike ownership and use has contributed to a surge in irresponsible riding behaviour.
This increased focus on e-bikes comes on the heels of a coroner’s recommendation made last month, recommending that all e-bikes be classified as motorcycles rather than bicycles.
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The recommendation followed the tragic death of a cyclist in Melbourne, with coroner Audrey Jamieson urging authorities to consider requiring e-bikes to be registered.
At the time, the state government said it would take the coroner’s findings seriously and review the recommendations.
Weir said that, 90 per cent of the time, e-bikes involved in collisions were either overpowered, non-compliant, or not being used in accordance with road rules.
The operation will continue for the coming months as part of a broader effort to reduce road trauma.
With Cassandra Morgan
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