Police in Fortitude Valley have been cracking down on unsafe and illegal riding of e-scooters and e-bikes through the inner city as part of Operation Fantale, a focused safety campaign run over the September school holidays.
The operation, led by officers from Brisbane City and Fortitude Valley stations, targeted personal mobility device offences in busy pedestrian areas, laneways and shared paths. It formed part of a broader North Brisbane effort to address the growing number of unregistered or modified electric scooters and bikes being ridden illegally across the city.
Over the holiday period, police charged 15 people with 26 offences, detecting a knife, dangerous drugs and drug utensils during the patrols. Officers said many of the issues involved riders travelling too fast, weaving through pedestrians or using devices that did not meet safety standards.
Along the Kedron Brook Bikeway, Operation X-ray Stamp was also extended to continue targeting illegal and dangerous riding of modified e-bikes and unregistered electric motorbikes, with police combining high-visibility patrols, covert enforcement and school-based education talks.
Recent incidents include a 14-year-old Kedron boy who allegedly fled from officers on an unregistered electric motorbike, and a 14-year-old Nundah boy who was charged after allegedly riding dangerously and without a licence. Both were dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
North Brisbane District Superintendent Simon Tayler said the crackdown was about keeping public spaces safe for everyone who uses them. He said too many riders—and parents—ignore safety rules until tragedy strikes.
“It shouldn’t take someone getting seriously injured or dying for riders, or parents of children riding these devices, to start taking safety warnings seriously,” Superintendent Tayler said. “If you are buying a device for your personal use or for your child, you have an obligation to ensure it complies with the law. Ignorance is not an excuse, especially when the safety of others is at risk.”
He said police would continue to combine education with strong enforcement, including fines, bike seizures and court action for repeat or serious offenders.
Residents and commuters in Fortitude Valley can expect to keep seeing police patrolling footpaths and shared zones as officers maintain a strong presence to deter unsafe riding.
Published 8-Oct-2025
