I've seen others on the forum saying they are lobbying their MP's over changes due to put through parliament shortly effecting our electric bikes.
So I decided to do the same and have just penned a letter to my MP which I've copied below... did I miss anything?
Dear MP,
I wanted to write to you about a particular issue which is currently being decided by the government following a public consultation. This concerns legislation changes governing the sale and use of electric powered bicycles (otherwise known as “e-bikes”). I own one of these e-bikes myself and have a keen interest in them and I think harmonising the UK law with EU law is a mistake. It would further restrict the design and use of these bikes on our roads which I feel is completely unnecessary and doesn't provide any benefits to the industry or road safety.
The UK already has legal restrictions on e-bikes that limit the power of the motor to 200W (although 250W is generally accepted now) and the maximum speed to 15mph. However, where our law differs from EU law is that in the UK e-bikes can be used as “pedal assisted” or “power only” which means cyclists can receive power both when pedalling and when they're not pedalling by using a throttle to move them along (to a maximum of 15mph).
EU law does not permit the use of power without pedaling, and so throttles would have to be removed from e-bikes sold and used in the UK if we harmonised our law. Electric bikes are a cheap and eco-friendly form of transport that not only supports our move towards a low-carbon economy, but also offer many other benefits such as helping people become more healthy and getting them out of cars for short journeys to reduce congestion on our roads.
For people who are elderly, unfit or have health conditions preventing them from pedalling very far, the presence of a throttle on e-bikes for “power only” is both useful and reassuring. It's also a great way to make the transition towards getting fit again as people often pedal more gradually over time once their fitness level improves.
There is also some debate in the industry and amongst e-bike users calling for a more sensible approach to the power and speed restrictions on e-bikes. The restrictions which are currently in place do make it difficult for many bikes to climb steep hills which is a particular problem in some hilly parts of the country.
I believe the government has ignored calls for moving the maximum motor power legal limit from 200W to 350W which is unfortunate as I think 350W is a more sensible limit for the UK which is very hilly compared to some flat countries in mainland Europe. It has also been suggested that increasing the limit to 350W and the maximum speed to 20mph would make e-bikes more viable for longer commute journey's than they are presently which I agree with. Many cyclists regularly pedal that fast or even faster anyway on normal non-electric bikes and road accidents from cycling are very low compared to motorist accidents.
Although there has already been a public consultation over these issues, I just wanted to share my thoughts. I hope when these changes come up in parliament for discussion or voting on next year, you might consider them more closely.
On a side issue, it would be good if the government considered reducing or eliminating the import duty on electric bikes and reducing VAT, as the way it is at present, the tax accounts for around a third of the retail cost and is excessive making e-bikes still very expensive and unaffordable for many people. If we are to become a low-carbon cleaner economy, we need cheaper electric bikes so everyone can afford to own one. This would also be a great boost to the industry and our economy, creating many more jobs.
I know a lot of people think pedal assist only is the way to go and how bikes should be made and used..but I think people should have the option and can decide themselves for their own needs.
So I decided to do the same and have just penned a letter to my MP which I've copied below... did I miss anything?
Dear MP,
I wanted to write to you about a particular issue which is currently being decided by the government following a public consultation. This concerns legislation changes governing the sale and use of electric powered bicycles (otherwise known as “e-bikes”). I own one of these e-bikes myself and have a keen interest in them and I think harmonising the UK law with EU law is a mistake. It would further restrict the design and use of these bikes on our roads which I feel is completely unnecessary and doesn't provide any benefits to the industry or road safety.
The UK already has legal restrictions on e-bikes that limit the power of the motor to 200W (although 250W is generally accepted now) and the maximum speed to 15mph. However, where our law differs from EU law is that in the UK e-bikes can be used as “pedal assisted” or “power only” which means cyclists can receive power both when pedalling and when they're not pedalling by using a throttle to move them along (to a maximum of 15mph).
EU law does not permit the use of power without pedaling, and so throttles would have to be removed from e-bikes sold and used in the UK if we harmonised our law. Electric bikes are a cheap and eco-friendly form of transport that not only supports our move towards a low-carbon economy, but also offer many other benefits such as helping people become more healthy and getting them out of cars for short journeys to reduce congestion on our roads.
For people who are elderly, unfit or have health conditions preventing them from pedalling very far, the presence of a throttle on e-bikes for “power only” is both useful and reassuring. It's also a great way to make the transition towards getting fit again as people often pedal more gradually over time once their fitness level improves.
There is also some debate in the industry and amongst e-bike users calling for a more sensible approach to the power and speed restrictions on e-bikes. The restrictions which are currently in place do make it difficult for many bikes to climb steep hills which is a particular problem in some hilly parts of the country.
I believe the government has ignored calls for moving the maximum motor power legal limit from 200W to 350W which is unfortunate as I think 350W is a more sensible limit for the UK which is very hilly compared to some flat countries in mainland Europe. It has also been suggested that increasing the limit to 350W and the maximum speed to 20mph would make e-bikes more viable for longer commute journey's than they are presently which I agree with. Many cyclists regularly pedal that fast or even faster anyway on normal non-electric bikes and road accidents from cycling are very low compared to motorist accidents.
Although there has already been a public consultation over these issues, I just wanted to share my thoughts. I hope when these changes come up in parliament for discussion or voting on next year, you might consider them more closely.
On a side issue, it would be good if the government considered reducing or eliminating the import duty on electric bikes and reducing VAT, as the way it is at present, the tax accounts for around a third of the retail cost and is excessive making e-bikes still very expensive and unaffordable for many people. If we are to become a low-carbon cleaner economy, we need cheaper electric bikes so everyone can afford to own one. This would also be a great boost to the industry and our economy, creating many more jobs.
I know a lot of people think pedal assist only is the way to go and how bikes should be made and used..but I think people should have the option and can decide themselves for their own needs.
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