Vanessa Hall  
Editor 

FAMILIES with children attending Coolum State High School, Noosa District State High School and Sunshine Beach State High School were notified by letter recently that e-bikes and e-scooters will be banned from the start of the 2026 school year – all e-mobility devices will be banned from school sites, and students will also face disciplinary action if found in uniform on a non-compliant e-mobility device as well.

The letter, which was a joint statement from the principals of each school, stated that the action was in response to increasing community concerns around safety and came after extensive discussions.

“Tragically, there have been several recent fatalities involving young people and e-mobility devices, along with multiple serious injuries on the Sunshine Coast,” the letter stated.

“In light of these safety concerns – and the additional fire risk posed by lithium battery storage – we believe this ban is a necessary step to protect our students and school communities.”

The letter also called out parents and guardians and stated that many e-mobility devices were not compliant.

“A recent audit conducted by QPS revealed that the vast majority of e-bikes and e-scooters on our school grounds are not compliant with Queensland legislation,” the Principal’s letter stated.  

“We have reached out to families regarding the increasing presence of e-bikes and e-scooters in our communities. Despite repeated requests for parental support in managing the use of non-compliant vehicles, we continue to see students riding and storing e-mobility devices that do not meet Queensland road laws,” the letter stated.

The schools said that they had tried to manage the rapidly evolving situation and that their priority was on education.

“Staff are not equipped to assess the legality of individual vehicles. Our priority must remain on delivering high-quality education, not regulating student transport choices.”

Praise for action taken  
The measures taken by the three schools has been met with praise from stakeholders with Acting Senior Sergeant of Coolum Police Ryan Hanlon stating they had recently visited the schools, and the audit of devices was alarming.

“On Thursday, the 13th of November, Coolum police attended a number of schools, including Coolum State High and Sunshine Beach State High, whereby 130 of the 148 e-bikes located at those schools were classed as non-compliant in regard to our road rules.

“Our local schools want to assist in preventing any harm to their students and prevent students from committing offences on our roads, which can have serious repercussions.”

“We are grateful for the actions taken by our local schools.  We are hopeful that parents will also assist our schools and police moving forward for everyone’s safety,” Ryan Hanlon of Coolum police.    

Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Member for Ninderry, Dan Purdie, also gave praise to the action taken by the schools and QPS.

“Our local police and schools have been leading the way when it comes to cracking down on illegal e-bikes and e-scooters.

“It is pivotal that parents also play an active role in monitoring and managing their children’s use of these devices to ensure safety remains paramount.”

Bicycle Queensland CEO Prof Matthew Burke said they would be keeping up the pressure on the federal government in regard to import laws, and they also understood why the action was taken by the schools.

“Bicycle Queensland really sympathises with school communities that are trying to ensure that students get to school safely, and don’t use illegal e-motorbikes to do so.

“We are pushing for strong Commonwealth import restrictions to be introduced early in the new year. This would dramatically reduce the number of e-motorbikes available for sale across Australia. The stores currently selling a lot of e-motorcycles to kids would either have to just sell legal e-bikes or go out of business.”

Time to plan for ban 
The joint letter said that their announcement was made now in an effort to give families time to adjust to the ban.

“We are announcing this decision now to give families ample time to make alternative arrangements.

“We encourage students to travel to school via school bus services or by using conventional bicycles.

“We understand this change may cause some initial inconvenience, but we believe the long-term benefits to student safety and community wellbeing far outweigh the short-term challenges.”

The letter also stated that there would be repercussions if students were in uniform on an illegal e-mobility device.

“Additionally, from 2026, any student reported to be breaking the law by riding a non-compliant e-bike or e-scooter in school uniform will face a school-based consequence.

“This measure reinforces our commitment to student safety and responsible behaviour within the community.”

More information on e-bikes can be found via the following link –
https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/electric-bikes/

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