If you thought electric bike speed limits in Europe were already tight, then brace yourself for even tighter restrictions in Amsterdam. City officials are proposing to reduce the electric bike speed limit on cycle paths to just 20 km/h (12 mph).
City transportation chief Melanie Van Der Horst has written a letter to the city council stating that many e-bikes on Amsterdam’s vast cycling path network are reaching speeds of 30 km/h (18 mph) or higher. This variation of speeds, from slower non-electric bikes to faster electric bikes, can be dangerous to kids and elderly riders on the cycling paths.
To establish this new speed limit, a national law would need to be passed, according to Dutch News. In the meantime, Amsterdam is encouraging faster e-bike riders to stick to the roads instead of cycling paths. Additionally, the city is exploring the use of smart apps that can notify cyclists when they enter lower speed zones.
Amsterdam is known as the cycling capital of the world, where two-thirds of daily transportation trips are performed by bike, according to Road.cc. Approximately 50% of bicycles sold in the city are electric, leading to the constant mixing of e-bikes and non-electric bikes on cycling paths.
European electric bicycle laws don’t permit manufacturers to allow e-bikes to travel at over 25 km/h (15 mph) assisted. Non-compliant e-bikes that can exceed the established European e-bike standards can still be found. Some EU-legal e-bikes can also be modified to travel faster, but manufacturers and regulators have attempted to put an end to this practice.
While faster e-bikes reduce travel time and are more efficient, the balance of speed and safety is tricky, particularly in Amsterdam where two-wheeled traffic can outnumber four-wheeled traffic. However, some argue that targeting e-bikes may not be the best way to handle the issue, as pedal bikes can often ride faster, especially in Europe where the lower 25 km/h (15 mph) speed limit on e-bikes means that many pedal cyclists pass by e-bikes in cycling lanes.
