Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles

Thursday 12th January 2012 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Penning)]

I am today publishing the responses to a public consultation which sought views on proposals to provide closer alignment of GB regulations with European rules.

The consultation was launched on 5 January 2010 in conjunction with a related consultation on electric personal vehicles (EPVs) and ran until 30 March 2010. The EAPC regulations were also included within the “Retail” and “Road Transportation” themes of the “Red Tape Challenge” which ran from 7 April to 17 June 2011.

The Department has considered the responses and supports recommendations to harmonise power limits (from 200 watts to 250 watts) with similar provisions in place across the EU—allowing consumers access to a wider range of electrically assisted cycles.

Regulatory proposals will be developed to update power limits and consider other amendments, for example on weight limits, once EU discussions on a much wider group of two, three and light four-wheeled vehicles conclude. The outcome of EU discussions could have implications for the regulation of EAPCs, and it would therefore be unhelpful to make amendments at this time which might need to be subsequently repealed.

A detailed summary of the responses to the consultation will be available in the Libraries of both Houses and will be available on the Department’s website at:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2010-02