(Yicai Global) July 12 -- Guangzhou, a megacity in China's southern Guangdong province, has held a hearing to place more traffic restrictions on electric bikes, likely impacting 3.6 million residents.

Fifteen representatives took part in the hearing on July 10, including pubic transport service staff, related stakeholders, deputies to the National People's Congress, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, lawyers, industry experts, and other public agents.

They addressed whether traffic restrictions should be made, how to apply them, during what time, and on what road sections.

There are 3.6 million licensed e-bikes in Guangzhou, and as the number grows, so does the incidence of problems, including people riding without helmets or in motor vehicle lanes, illegal modifications of e-bikes, speeding, and overloading, which endanger public safety. 

Most citizens believe it is urgent to regulate e-bikes more strictly, with 17.2 percent in favor of the restrictions and demanding their application in more areas, and 36 percent having other suggestions on stricter management, according to the Guangdong traffic police. Over 23 percent offered advice on road sections and times, while nearly the same number objected to the rules, the authorities noted.

During the hearing, some representatives suggested optimizing the traffic restriction period during morning rush hours to make it convenient for parents to get their children to school. Others proposed lifting traffic bans on road sections during rush hours on non-working days.

The food delivery industry and other business demands must be considered along the sanctioned roads, according to some participants. Building more lanes for non-motor vehicles and strengthening regulations on the meal delivery sector and the production and sales of e-bikes were also addressed.

Guangzhou has been increasing regulations on e-bikes in recent years, releasing a scheme to ban them in central areas in July 2021 and soliciting opinions from the public. Bans were eased last month, enforcing regulations only on some road sections and times in central areas.

Editor: Martin Kadiev