Motor-driven bicycle/skateboard must be licensed for road use

All motor-driven bicycles and skateboards, which are classified as motorcycles by law, must be registered and licensed according to the requirements of Road Traffic Ordinance Cap. 374 for use on roads, regardless of their size and fuel type.

A Transport Department (TD) spokesman said: "It is illegal to use motor-driven bicycles and skateboards, including those propelled by electricity, on roads in Hong Kong if they have not been registered and licensed, even the power is switched off."

"Driving an unlicensed vehicle is liable to a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for 3 months on first conviction."

The spokesman added that whether a vehicle would be registered and licensed depended on its compliance with the requirements in the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations. Owners of motor-driven bicycles and skateboards could submit their vehicles to TD for type approval or pre-registration inspection. Relevant information was available at offices of TD's Licensing Branch and TD's website (http://www.info.gov.hk/td).

The spokesman pointed out that major faults found on most motor-driven bicycles and skateboards included weak and misaligned vehicle frames, weak steering handle bar and seating frame, insufficient and unreliable braking system, inadequate lightings and reflectors, lacking essential equipment such as rear view mirror and speedometer.

"Most of them would unlikely meet requirements of relevant regulations, therefore unsuitable and illegal to be used on roads," he added.

Road Traffic Ordinance Cap. 374 specifies that "road" includes every highway, thoroughfare, street, lane, alley, court, square, car park, passage, path, way and place to which the public have access either continuously or intermittently, whether or not the same is the property of the Government. A public park is therefore a road. Driving those unregistered or unlicensed vehicles in private road shall also be illegal unless the private roads in question have been specified by notice in the Gazette.

TD has issued a letter to all selling agents and shops reminding them of the need for those vehicles to comply with relevant regulations for use on roads. Relevant notice is requested to be displayed in the shops to alert potential buyers.

End/Thursday, December 27, 2001