The e-bike craze is ongoing and according to those in the business, it won’t be going away anytime soon. It begs the question though, with safety concerns around them, what needs to be done to accommodate e-bikes around cities? We speak to an expert who says that it could bring more cycle lanes to cities around Wales.
00:00The future is in electric, definitely. It's not going away.
00:07Sales of electric bikes are definitely just increasing all the time.
00:14I think we're getting to a plateau, I think, of where power is and can be for safety reasons.
00:22E-bikes have grown massively in popularity in recent years, but there are plenty of safety concerns that go along with them.
00:28Legally, they can't push a rider any faster than you could pedal yourself, but bikes sold abroad and shipped to Wales and the UK can be much faster.
00:37Despite concerns, their popularity is far higher than ever before.
00:40There is real hope that they can kickstart a revolution in cycling and therefore in cycling infrastructure.
00:46Cyclists are safer on cycle lanes. Drivers largely would be happier to see cyclists separated on their own designated paths.
00:52And Danis, who runs a bike shop in Lamperture in West Wales, says he believes that we could see more cycle lanes if more people start using electric bikes.
01:00So, I think, like you say, that would make it much easier for people at the moment.
01:09And especially, I mean, we're very rural here, so we don't have any bike lanes.
01:15So, it is, you know, people have to be very careful when they're out there on the roads.
01:19But I think the fact that the more and more people are getting into cycling and the electric side of things is helping with that.
01:28I think, you know, there has to be more infrastructure out there, dedicated cycling lanes, charging points for the electric bikes.
01:35We've, you know, we're seeing those start to pop up in places.
01:39There are still safety concerns, especially with the imported bikes.
01:42But with more awareness, more infrastructure and more communication, Danis believes the public can be turned.
01:48You know, like you say, you see in towns and cities now that some of these bikes are flying along.
01:54They're not even pedalling. They're using a thumb. That's illegal.
01:58Now, they're starting to have those bikes taken away from them.
02:02That will help things.
02:03And hopefully, it will help improve how pedestrians see electric bike cyclists as well.
02:09But what do people actually say about e-bikes and their safety?
02:13Cardiff has a much better cycling infrastructure than other parts of Wales.
02:17But is it enough for people to buy into the craze?
02:20I think it's the case that they're largely illegal, aren't they?
02:25In as much as they're illegal, obviously, I shouldn't be encouraged.
02:27So, the law would need to be changed.
02:29I think it's rather bad if there are rules that are simply being overlooked routinely.
02:34I think any means of someone being able to get about is important.
02:40I think it's good for the environment.
02:41I think the problem is, especially in this town centre, people are riding bikes through pedestrian areas.
02:46I think there should be an implementation of a way to maybe ride bikes through the city centres more safely.
02:54I think the way that it works, it's not ideal for people.
02:58I think the way that it works, it's not ideal for people, it's not ideal for people.
