Guangzhou prioritizes road safety above swift delivery

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, will impose a 15-kilometer-per-hour speed limit on electric bicycles in non-motor vehicle lanes starting Dec 30, a move that has ignited concern among delivery riders.

The measure is outlined in the Regulations on the Management of Electric Bicycles in Guangzhou, recently published by the Guangzhou People's Congress.

The regulations also introduce stricter controls on delivery riders who commit serious traffic violations. Riders found running red lights, speeding or driving in the wrong direction three or more times within a week will face delivery service restrictions.

Aimed at reducing traffic congestion and accidents caused by electric bicycles, the regulations have sparked debate, particularly among the city's large community of delivery riders. With a population exceeding 18 million, Guangzhou relies heavily on such riders for its thriving delivery industry.

A delivery rider surnamed Chen, who works in Guangzhou's Tianhe district, said that the average riding speed for delivery riders is around 40 kilometers per hour.

"Almost no delivery rider drives at 15 kilometers per hour," Chen said. "Competition among riders is fierce in this city, where there are many riders but low unit prices. At that speed, a rider can only earn 8 to 10 yuan ($1.41) per hour."

Chen added that the new speed limit would force riders to work longer hours to make a living.

Another rider surnamed Zhang, echoed these concerns, saying that the 15-kilometer-per-hour speed limit is impractical for delivery work.

"This regulation is bad news for us," Zhang said.

Hu Gang, founding president of the Urban Research Association of South China, noted that electric bicycles have become essential for many residents in Guangzhou, particularly those from low- and middle-income groups.

"Guangzhou is a city with a strong sense of life," said Hu, who is also a professor at Guangzhou-based Jinan University. "Delivery platforms need to prioritize the safety of their riders under the new speed limit. They should adjust their performance assessments and extend delivery times accordingly."

Lyu Yingzhi, dean of the School of Transportation at the Fujian University of Technology, pointed out that Guangzhou and Shenzhen are among the top 10 cities in China with the largest number of electric bicycles.

"Implementing relevant regulations is necessary because violations of traffic rules, illegal modifications and improper parking of electric bicycles pose public safety risks," Lyu said. "However, if all vehicles are forced to operate at such low speeds, efficiency will suffer. Blindly limiting speed will not effectively reduce traffic conflicts and accidents."

Lyu recommended that the delivery industry be managed from a systemic and professional perspective.

"Delivery platforms should take responsibility for better managing their riders. Regulatory authorities could compare real-time road data with platform records to assess the effectiveness of these measures," he added.

Guangzhou also plans to control the city's total number of electric bicycles in the coming months. According to the new regulations, the registered number of electric bicycles in Guangzhou exceeded 5.6 million by the end of last month, an increase of 1.4 million, or 35 percent, compared to the previous year.

Currently, the number of electric bicycles in Guangzhou is still growing, with approximately 4,000 new registrations daily and around 100,000 per month.

Since the start of 2023, Guangzhou has reported over 1,500 traffic accidents caused by speeding electric bicycles, resulting in hundreds of injuries and dozens of fatalities.