Nearly 92 percent of 10,265 respondents would like to use new standard e-bikes licensed by police, according to a survey result released by the Shenzhen traffic police yesterday.
The city is working on new measures for the management of e-bikes after the new national e-bike standards, jointly issued by Central agencies including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, took effect April 15.
The new standards allow for heavier models and higher speeds — raising the maximums from 20 to 25 kilometers per hour and from 40kg to 55kg.
Under the new rule, e-bikes that fail to meet the new standards are forbidden from being manufactured or sold in Shenzhen. Shenzhen police will continue to clamp down on refitted e-bikes whose speeds exceed the maximum standard and encourage the public to report the violations of e-bike riders.
In the survey, 94 percent of bike users agreed that the government should set up a transitional period and require registration for e-bikes.
The survey showed 51 percent of riders use e-bikes to pick up children, 11.9 percent use them for shopping at green groceries and 31 percent for commuting between their home and office.
“E-bikes have irreplaceable roles, so police should license and register the bikes to standardize management,” a netizen suggested.
“Shenzhen is crowded with vehicles. The e-bikes are convenient for short trips. The city should tighten punishment on violators, on the one hand, and improve road conditions for e-bikes on the other,” another netizen suggested, adding that although Shenzhen has built many greenways along the roads, they aren’t suitable for e-bikes.
Sixty-three percent of respondents think the city should set up independent lanes for e-bikes, separated from vehicle lanes on the main roads and trunk roads.
A total of 98 percent think that wearing helmets while driving should be a compulsory requirement and 83 percent hope police will not charge a fee for registering and licensing e-bikes.
The new standards also allow manufacturers a one-year grace period to adjust their plans. As for e-bike owners whose vehicles fail to meet the new standards, local governments will be tasked with drawing up practical solutions, such as exchange schemes, subsidies or bulk repurchases at a depreciated price.
As to the ban on e-bikes in some areas with developed public transport, 55 percent support the idea, while 45 percent oppose it.