NGOs snubbed over meeting on Gozo fast ferry ban on e-bokes

The Gozo fast ferry operator has started to limit the carriage of electric bicycles – ranging from an outright ban on e-bikes to requiring them to be left outside in conditions vulnerable to weather and seaspray, and demanding 20 minutes early boarding.

NGOs whose representatives are experts in the field of transport and health have complained these rules were put in place because of overblown and unevidenced concerns of spontaneous combustion of lithium-ion batteries.

Yet Transport Malta and the Malta Maritime Authority have again postponed meeting civil society organisation representatives from Moviment Graffitti, Rota and Friends of the Earth Malta, intended to address unfair policies hampering e-bike and scooter commuters of the Gozo Fast Ferry.

“The latest meeting set for Friday at 9am was cancelled that same morning, meaning members of the organisations, some from Gozo, were already on their way or had already arrived at the Transport Malta Offices in Lija. Friday’s date was set after a prior meeting earlier this month was also cancelled at short notice,” FOE’s Suzanne Maas said.

“The authorities' brazen attitude towards the issue at hand, and the citizens it supposedly represents, raises questions about the authorities' priorities. The organisations’ representatives would like to remind the authorities that their salaries are paid by taxpayers, and that the public they serve is their utmost priority and should thus be treated with respect rather than being taken for a ride.”

The NGOs said that risks are inherent to all battery types, including those in electric cars, laptops, vapes and mobile phones, and are a rare outcome of battery tampering, use of non-reputable electronics, or malfunction while charging.

But they found no evidence of any other public transport companies with similarly restrictive policies for e-bikes within Europe.

To mitigate any fire risk, turning off e-bike batteries while on board should suffice. “The above was further corroborated by Cycling Industries Europe, the trade organisation for the cycling sector in Europe, who confirmed that ‘e-bikes are subject to very high security and safety standards meaning fire risks are minimal’ and additionally, that ‘practically all recorded battery fires to date happened while the battery was being charged’,” Maas said.

The NGOs added that restrictive policies for electric bicycles contrast with the government’s significant financial incentives to encourage citizens to shift from cars to electric bicycles, particularly for residents of Gozo.

“Pairing an electric bicycle with a fast ferry link between Gozo and Valletta is an efficient alternative to car travel between the two islands, alleviating traffic congestion and air pollution. However, the ever-changing policies of the Gozo fast ferry operator towards e-bikes make it harder to achieve the objectives of electrifying transport and reducing reliance on cars.

“The policies inaccurately portray e-bikes as hazardous devices, while causing inconvenience to the public. The lack of notice, whimsical enforcement and botched implementation of these policies all serve to dampen the uptake of e-bikes by commuters,” Maas said.

The Gozo fast ferry service – a much-needed fast connection between Malta and Gozo for commuters, residents and visitors – is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.

“Service to citizens should be the first priority. We are publicly urging the transport authorities and Gozo fast ferry operators to revisit their e-bike policies to ensure a more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable transport system, respecting the users of their service.

“The simple solution we propose, making it mandatory to switch off the electric battery when boarding the ferry, is inexpensive and easily implemented. When viewed in the context of wider transport problems in Malta, the glaring lack of cycling infrastructure and growing traffic problems, the authorities seem entirely out of their depth to handle these issues, when action is urgently needed.”