Survey: Australians want e-bike and e-scooter fines, not bans
Survey of 2,000+ Australians shows most support strict fines and age limits for both devices, not bans.
When authorities crack down on e-bikes and e-scooters, they often assume the public wants bans. A new survey of more than 2,000 Australians suggests the opposite.
Heavy fines for improper use won the strongest support, averaging 7.9 out of 10 for e-bikes and 7.8 for e-scooters. Age restrictions also drew backing at 7.6 and 7.5.
Outright bans scored weakly: just 5.0 for e-bikes and 4.8 for e-scooters. Crucially, Australians viewed the two devices similarly.
Neither had a clear advantage in public acceptance. Yet regulators treat them differently: NSW allows compliant e-bikes on roads but not private e-scooters; Victoria sets minimum age for e-scooters but not e-bikes.
The research suggests public sentiment is more nuanced than some recent regulatory decisions reflect.
- More than 2,000 Australians
- Survey size
- 7.9 out of 10
- Fines support (e-bikes)
- 5.0 out of 10
- Ban support (e-bikes)
- City of Melbourne 2024 (rental e-scooters)
- Recent ban
Why it mattersPolicy makers often assume the public wants bans, but this survey shows Australians prefer enforcement-focused rules applied fairly to both devices.
AustraliaAustralian councils and states currently impose different rules on e-bikes and e-scooters; this research suggests public support for uniform, enforcement-focused regulation.
✓ Claims checked; 1 flagged for review. checked 2 h ago
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