Queensland E-Bike Laws Could Shut Down Food Delivery Networks and Shared Scooter Schemes, Industry Warns

Queensland's state government is pushing forward with legislation that would impose sweeping new restrictions on e-bikes and e-scooters, including a minimum age of 16, a mandatory driver's licence requirement, and a 10km/h speed cap on almost all cycle lanes. While proponents argue the measures are necessary to improve public safety, industry groups say the rules would cripple a growing sector of the gig economy and wipe out shared micro-mobility services.

Food delivery companies, whose riders routinely use e-bikes to navigate urban streets, say the licence requirement alone would dramatically reduce their available workforce. Many delivery riders are students or casual workers who do not hold a driver's licence, and the 10km/h speed cap on cycle lanes — slower than a brisk jogging pace — would make e-bike deliveries commercially unviable in most urban areas.

Shared e-vehicle operators have raised an even more fundamental concern: insurability. Because shared schemes allow anonymous or transient users to ride vehicles across public spaces, operators say it would be practically impossible to verify that every rider holds a valid licence before use. Without the ability to guarantee compliance, insurers may refuse to cover the schemes altogether, effectively forcing them to cease operations in the state.

The proposed laws follow a period of growing community concern about e-bike and e-scooter incidents in Queensland, including collisions with pedestrians and injuries to young riders. Supporters of stricter regulation argue that the current framework is inadequate for the speed and weight of modern electric micro-mobility devices, which can travel at speeds comparable to motor vehicles.

The legislation has sparked a broader debate about how governments should balance emerging transport technologies against public safety. Critics of the proposed rules argue that the 10km/h speed cap in particular is disproportionate — stricter than many countries apply even to motor vehicles in shared zones — and that a more targeted approach, such as better infrastructure or designated e-bike lanes, would address safety concerns without dismantling an industry that employs thousands of Queenslanders.

The Queensland government has not publicly responded to the industry warnings ahead of the legislation's progression. An inquiry into the proposed laws had previously heard submissions on the age and licence provisions in February 2026.

Why This Matters

The proposed 10km/h cycle lane speed cap and driver's licence requirement would fundamentally alter how the gig economy operates in Queensland, directly affecting the incomes of thousands of delivery riders.
Shared e-scooter and e-bike schemes — increasingly central to urban transport planning — could cease to exist in Queensland if they become uninsurable, setting a precedent that other Australian states may follow or react against.
The legislation tests how far governments can go in regulating micro-mobility before the regulatory cure becomes worse than the safety problem it seeks to solve.

Background

E-bikes and e-scooters have expanded rapidly across Australian cities over the past five years, driven by gig economy growth and municipal trials of shared micro-mobility schemes. Queensland has been home to several major shared e-scooter trials in Brisbane and other urban centres, operated by companies like Lime and Neuron.

Concerns about safety have mounted alongside their popularity. Incidents involving collisions with pedestrians, riders injured at speed, and underage users on powerful electric vehicles prompted Queensland authorities to launch a formal inquiry in early 2026. A February parliamentary hearing examined proposals including age limits and licensing, with the current bill representing the government's legislative response.

Australia does not have a unified national framework for micro-mobility regulation; rules vary significantly by state and territory. Queensland's proposed laws, if passed, would be among the strictest in the country, and potentially in the developed world for the specific case of cycle lane speed limits.

Key Perspectives

Food delivery platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash): Argue that the licence requirement is a de facto ban on large portions of their delivery workforce, and that the speed cap makes e-bike delivery economically unworkable. They want the government to pursue targeted safety measures rather than blanket restrictions.

Shared e-vehicle operators: Contend that the licence verification requirement is technically and operationally impossible to implement at scale for shared schemes, and that insurers will exit the market if the laws pass — effectively ending the industry in the state.

Safety advocates and government supporters: Maintain that modern e-bikes and e-scooters pose genuine risks to pedestrians and riders alike, particularly at higher speeds, and that clearer regulation is overdue. They argue the current patchwork of rules has failed to keep pace with the technology.

Critics and industry sceptics: Warn that the 10km/h cycle lane cap is disproportionate and poorly designed, and that the legislation conflates different risk profiles — a shared scooter in a CBD versus a delivery rider on a quiet suburban street — without sufficient nuance.

What to Watch

Whether the Queensland government amends the speed cap or licence provisions in response to industry submissions before the bill is put to a vote.
The response of insurance providers: any public statements from major insurers about whether they would continue to cover shared micro-mobility schemes under the proposed rules would be a key signal.
Reactions from other Australian state governments, particularly New South Wales and Victoria, which run their own shared e-vehicle schemes and may face pressure to follow Queensland's lead or explicitly diverge from it.

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