E-bike popularity increases, as do ACC claims
ACC is reporting that e-bike-related injury claims reached a new high last year with the 60 – 74 age bracket with the highest number of reported injuries. In the Queenstown Lakes District, claims have risen over the past five years from approximately ten up to 89. Locals and councillors have recognised a rise in traffic on bike paths, which has contributed to the increase in claims.
Lauren Prebble is a local e-bike owner who has noticed more riders out an about, some of whom aren’t always fully aware how to ride to the conditions of the track. She herself had an incident on her e-bike when the track was particularly dry and she took a corner with some speed – she slipped off and injured herself, ending up with stitches and a black eye. She says that the community is really passionate about the tracks and aren’t necessarily wanting strict regulations at this stage.
“In the future if we’re doing this modal shift into more public transport and active transport, there’s going to be more traffic on the tracks. Are people fully aware how to ride to the conditions of the tracks – especially when it’s multi-use as well. I think what Waka Kotahi really need to look at for the active commuter is actually streamlining a bike lane on the road. How they’ve done it now is just on footpaths where you’ve got so many transitions from footpath to road and back, whereas the reality is that the active commuter wants to get from A to B fast,” says Lauren.
Alexa Forbes is a councillor elected to the Dunstan Constituency is part of the Otago Regional Council Transport Committee. She’s passionate about transport of the future with a focus on active and public transports. She says that e-bikes are an efficient mode of transport that is beneficial for health and reducing road traffic.
“E-bikes are just brilliant in terms of getting people around quickly in terms of getting people around quickly without having to be in different clothes – they don’t have to be in lycra – they can carry a lot of stuff and the bikes are super-efficient. At the moment they’re expensive – not compared to a car, but they can move you similar distances. As an e-biker you need very little end-of-trip infrastructure such as showers, but you do need better on-road or on-trail infrastructure.
“The really big importance of e-bikes is that they go pretty fast, and that can be scary for people who are walking in the same space. So we need to think about how on-road and on-trail infrastructure separates pedestrians and e-bikes in particular. It would be nice to separate all bikes from e-bikes. I think now on Frankton Track it’s starting to get quite busy with e-bikes commuting twice a day and in the same place where people are running their dogs – so there needs to be a bit of courtesy from the e-bikes,” says Alexa.
Another problem that Alexa agreed with Lauren about was the transitions throughout Queenstown Lakes been problematic, especially for children. The transitions across major roads, moving between footpaths and tracks, and off trails are dangerous and sometimes totally unexpected.
With the rise in the e-bikes popularity unfortunately comes the rise in ACC claims – last year they cost the ACC more than $4 million. While the bikes are heavier than traditional bikes, and can take a little getting used to, with improved trails, a wee bit of regulation, and education, the number of claims could improve.
