Thanks to Peter at the BAGB for clearing this up.

 

You may have seen a BikeBiz story published today:

 

https://www.bikebiz.com/news/bikes-need-3rd-part-insurance-in-eu

 

with the headline "E-bikes declared illegal to use on European roads

without insurance"

 

I can reassure members that it remains legal to use e-bikes in the UK

without motor vehicle insurance. The article is based on a proposal

which has been made by the European Commission for reform of the

Motor Insurance Directive.

 

This proposal has no legal effect...yet.

 

We and our EU colleagues at CONEBI, and allies including the ECF,

have been fighting this, and continue to do so. We have successfully

lobbied the UK Government, who formally opposed the inclusion of

e-bikes into the scope of the draft proposal.

 

So it is disappointing that e-bikes have still been included in the

scope of the final formal proposal. But there is scope for this to

change before the text is made definitive and then implemented into

UK law.

 

The Council of the European Union (i.e.. nation states) and the

European Parliament must both approve it, and there will be intensive

lobbying at both to persuade them to make the Commission think again

on this aspect.

 

Other slighly positive notes:

 

- The concerns of e-bike producers are noted in the proposal's impact

assessment, and the "Regulatory Scrutiny Board" report on the

proposal also states that the proposal is not sufficiently

future-proofed when it comes to e-bikes.

 

- Nation states will still be able to exempt classes of vehicle such

as e-bikes if they wish ('derogation') but then the cost of

compensating accident victims would fall on the national insurance

fund, which in the UK is the Motor Insurers' Bureau, funded

essentially by a levy on car insurance policies. But this is not a

satisfactory solution for many reasons.

 

- Because this is a 'Directive', it requires EU nation states to

implement it into national law - it has no direct legal effect. So

there would have to be UK legislation to implement any changes. This

may take some time... and there may be some scope to influence how

the UK implements it.

 

The full text of the proposal, impact assessments etc are here:

 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/initiatives/com-2018-3

36_en#initiative-details

 

and also on that link you will see that the European Commission is

requesting feedback on this proposal. We will certainly be providing

some as the Bicycle Association, but please do add your voices as EU

businesses - it does not have to be anything extensive, but please do

firmly note your opposition to the inclusion of e-bikes in this

proposal, and concerns you may have about its impact. The deadline

for submitting feedback is 19 July 2018.

I can reassure members that it remains legal to use e-bikes in the UK

without motor vehicle insurance. The article is based on a proposal

which has been made by the European Commission for reform of the

Motor Insurance Directive.

 

I still see The Netherlands killing this. They always take a fiercely defensive stance against any EU Commission proposals for extra laws on cycling. For the Dutch cycling and walking amount to the same thing, just simple ways to get from A to B.

 

Since they are the EU's dominant cycling nation, anything they don't accept has virtually no chance of becoming EU wide law. Given that pedelecs are such a high proportion of their bike sales, I'm sure they'll be just as defensive for them.

.

Like I said I don't mind paying insurance but if I do have to I will want more in return:

 

- I will not drag around a number plate on a pedelec, IIRC way back before I was born in some parts of the world bicycles did have a tax disk holder on the head tube?

- I will want more infrastructure and, revolution in these parts, infrastructure that makes riding from point a to b easier not harder as it is now

- I will want a separate s-pedelec class that allows higher assistance speed and a class specific helmet, not a motorbike one

- many more things which, as I am paying for riding a bicycle, I will expect in return such as secure parking spots at strategic places like bus and train stations...

IIRC way back before I was born in some parts of the world bicycles did have a tax disk holder on the head tube?

 

Prior to 1995 UK assisted bikes needed registration, number plate, tax disc and holder, insurance, motor cycle driving licence and supposedly a motor cycle helmet.

 

In Guernsey before the second World War, all bicycles had to be registered with a fee. It was a simple system though, call at the office, pay the fee and be given a little bracket mounted plate that clipped onto the back mudguard.

.

IIRC way back before I was born in some parts of the world bicycles did have a tax disk holder on the head tube?

Sark still had this when i last visited.

Well.. ebikes should be banned anyway.. If you can't ride a bike without a motor then you shouldn't be allowed out on the road! That is according to a licra clad speedster who I has bested on a hill but then caught me up at the lights..

Well.. ebikes should be banned anyway.. If you can't ride a bike without a motor then you shouldn't be allowed out on the road! That is according to a licra clad speedster who I has bested on a hill but then caught me up at the lights..

 

That sort of thinking would ban mobility vehicles, "if you can't walk you shouldn't be allowed on the pavements".

.

That sort of thinking would ban mobility vehicles, "if you can't walk you shouldn't be allowed on the pavements".

.

Bad anology.. mobility scooters are an absolute menace..

Bad anology.. mobility scooters are an absolute menace..

 

. As I posted I smiled, knowing that someone would respond like this.

 

An absolute menace, just like e-bikes showing up superfit lycras on hills!

 

All in the eye of the beholder.

.

. As I posted I smiled, knowing that someone would respond like this.

 

An absolute menace, just like e-bikes showing up superfit lycras on hills!

 

All in the eye of the beholder.

.

Got me. Will have to climb out and find my toys...

That sort of thinking would ban mobility vehicles, "if you can't walk you shouldn't be allowed on the pavements".

.

 

Said the man with the wooden leg...

more on this on MBR ..

 

http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/e-bikes-insurance-375828

The European Commission has proposed that pedal assist e-bikes (also known as ‘pedelecs’) are to require third party insurance in Europe.

 

This is a move that would basically make all electric bikes require the same sort of insurance cover as is with motor vehicles.

more on this on MBR ..

 

http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/e-bikes-insurance-375828

The European Commission has proposed that pedal assist e-bikes (also known as ‘pedelecs’) are to require third party insurance in Europe.

 

This is a move that would basically make all electric bikes require the same sort of insurance cover as is with motor vehicles.

 

I repeat, scare story. It will never happen.

 

Even before it can go the member countries for agreement it has to get through the European Parliament, and they are distinctly liberal where pedelecs are concerned. For example that parliament recommended to the EU Commission that all pedelec power limits be removed, relying only on the assist speed limit. Typically the Commission rejected that suggestion.

 

You can see from this example that the positions of the two on pedelec law are diametrically opposed, and the Commission does not have the power to impose.

.

Edited May 26, 20187 yr by flecc

Can't help feeling that insurance is a good idea for all road users. I don't want to expose myself to a very heavy claim - and, more importantly, I don't want others to not get compensation if I cause damage or injury and cannot afford to pay out.

 

A partial answer, which obviously would not apply to everyone, could be for those of us with motor vehicle insurance to have a free or low-cost add-on to cover all bike usage. After all, a considerable proportion of the cost of a separate cycle policy, ebike or not, is the administration, advertising, etc. Done on an at-cost basis the real incremental cost might be very small. And, when cycling, almost all motoring risk is eliminated.

 

(As I said, not feasible for everyone, but might help a lot of us.)

Can't help feeling that insurance is a good idea for all road users.

 

But the elephant in the room is that if compulsory it means registration and number plates, otherwise it couldn't be policed. That on all bicycles is hardly acceptable and why almost everywhere it's been tried it's subsequently been dropped.

 

A more viable alternative is a compensation fund, financed by a levy on each bike sold. It could be run by a Cycle Insurance Bureau, just like the Motor Insurance Bureau covers claims when drivers aren't insured.

 

Our bike sales run at around 2.5 million a year so the levy would be small since bikes rarely cause a really costly accident.

.

Well.. ebikes should be banned anyway.. If you can't ride a bike without a motor then you shouldn't be allowed out on the road! That is according to a licra clad speedster who I has bested on a hill but then caught me up at the lights..

If you can’t ride a bike without Lycra I think you seriously need to look at yourself

What an opinionated twat .

I saw somewhere today that the EU are saying racing motor vehicles should have 3rd party insurance, but no one will provide it as it is too risky.

If you can’t ride a bike without Lycra I think you seriously need to look at yourself

What an opinionated twat .

What was interesting about it was.. it was a sort of friendly conversation..

What was interesting about it was.. it was a sort of friendly conversation..

That makes a pleasant change

But the elephant in the room is that if compulsory it means registration and number plates, otherwise it couldn't be policed. That on all bicycles is hardly acceptable and why almost everywhere it's been tried it's subsequently been dropped.

 

A more viable alternative is a compensation fund, financed by a levy on each bike sold. It could be run by a Cycle Insurance Bureau, just like the Motor Insurance Bureau covers claims when drivers aren't insured.

 

Our bike sales run at around 2.5 million a year so the levy would be small since bikes rarely cause a really costly accident.

.

 

I am not at all convinced that number plates are necessary. At one time, yes, there was not the technology to do otherwise. Now, we could chip every bicycle. (Of course, there are arguments against doing that. Just identifying one option.)

 

It still has the same gross unfairness that MIB results in - those who pay having to pay again. (Not that the MIB shouldn't exist and I have no better idea as to how it could work and be funded.)

 

I suspect that if there were mandatory insurance, more people would pursue claims for things like scratches to cars, even when done by children. No idea what the number of settlements of claims in the UK currently runs at (whether through legal channels, or just person-to-person passing over a few fivers).

I saw somewhere today that the EU are saying racing motor vehicles should have 3rd party insurance, but no one will provide it as it is too risky.

 

Just had a very quick search - some people saying they think they are already covered. Surely, that must be the case? At least anywhere that there are spectators or a vehicle could cause damage off the track.

 

And things like rallies and Isle of Man TT certainly seem to have to be insured.

It still has the same gross unfairness that MIB results in - those who pay having to pay again.

 

I think that's the choice, either unfairly financed cover or no insurance compulsion. I prefer the latter, the less law the better for cycling.

.

If the nanny Euro state wants ebikes to be insured, then it must follow all bikes should be insured - the road risks posed being identical.

 

While I agree this proposal is a non-starter, the interfering busybodies do need to be reminded at every opportunity what sensible folk think of them.

That makes a pleasant change

 

A much better opinion than the last one.

all this is is another way to tax you for profit!

 

Wonder if we will be able to buy this insurance from the local newsagent /corner shop....like the proposed "porn pass" for the over 18's:D