Last year its president, Deputy Adrian Gabriel, told the States he would like to see the age limit for local youngsters riding the machines reduced from 14 to 12, or even 11.
Deputy Gabriel said at the time he intended to discuss the matter with his committee, and he now has secured its approval for a full review.
‘The committee has agreed the legal age requirement to ride an e-bike is something that needs looking at and is now awaiting some work exploring both the benefits and implications that any change may have. When this work is complete it will formally discuss the matter.’
Do you think the age limit for riding e-bikes should be reduced?
The review is being warmly welcomed by cycling and active travel campaigner Deputy Ross Le Brun.
‘I think this is brilliant,’ he said.
‘Guernsey needs to take a bespoke approach to transport and active travel that suits our island. We all see vehicle numbers and sizes increasing, and the impact term-time traffic has.
‘If we want safer roads and real alternatives to just being driven everywhere, we need to be bold, think outside the box and embrace sensible micromobility options as viable alternatives to driving every journey, which is what Guernsey needs.
‘This is a great start and I’ll keep pushing and supporting further progress like this.’
However, one of Guernsey’s biggest e-bike retailers is more ambivalent about the advantages of lowering the legal age for riding the machines.
Adventure Cycles said it would require some careful thought.
‘The problem with reducing the age limit would be the question of the maturity of the rider. Would a 12-year-old have the same road sense as a 14-year-old to handle the e-bike safely?
‘The question of riding two-up on the bike also really needs to be addressed before there is a messy accident. We have seen kids giving their friends a lift on the pannier rack, which is only rated for 25kg, unless the bike is an e-cargo bike that is built to take the additional weight.’
E&I has also taken the opportunity to look at a number of other matters relating to who can drive, or ride, what types of machines on the island’s roads. While no timetable has yet been provided for a decision on e-bikes, or the wider review, Deputy Gabriel said it should be completed within the current States term.
‘The work on e-bikes will be carried out alongside a wider review of legislation, including looking at local driving licence categories and, as Guernsey has many reciprocal driving licensing agreements, this has to be considered carefully before any changes to the current legislation. This has been agreed as one of the committee’s priorities for this term.’
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