Anonymous writes: Over the last ten years, the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) has issued numerous policy documents and campaigns encouraging residents to ditch fossil‑fueled cars and embrace cycling and other non‑motorised modes.
The National Energy Policy 2017 – 2037 (NEP) explicitly commits the government to promote lifestyle changes through “cycling, walking and the use of public transportation”, and even sets out programmes to provide public education on bicycle safety and energy-efficient commuting options.
Later in the document, the NEP states that government should “assess the public’s willingness to use cycling as an alternative mode of transportation”, and consider fiscal incentives, bike lanes, and other amenities to encourage cycling. This vision has repeatedly been echoed in public initiatives:
1) Car Free Week 2019 and 2021 – CIG’s infrastructure ministry invited civil servants and the wider public to walk, cycle or carpool for a week, and highlighted that reducing single‑occupancy car use is key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The energy policy coordinator explained that the NEP calls for “incentivisation of alternative transport”, and that each individual needs to support this process. Press releases promoted hopping on buses, shuttles or using the Cycle Cayman bike-share system.
2) Civil servant bike share programme (2020) – As part of the Energy Cayman campaign, the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure partnered with Cycle Cayman to provide bikes for government workers. Minister Joey Hew noted that the NEP encourages “non‑fossil burning vehicles as an alternative mode of transportation” and specifically aims to “encourage cycling by creating bike friendly amenities”. Officials praised automated bike share technology and planned to expand bike docks around George Town.
3) Road‑safety partnership with Cayman Cycling (2025) – Following a cyclist’s death, the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) pledged to make roads safer for cyclists. The NRSC’s action plan included implementing cyclist‑detection signage and launching a recurring “Family Micro‑Mobility Day”, where roads would be closed to cars. NRSC chair Eric Bush said government was “committing to building a safer, more inclusive transportation culture — one where cyclists are respected as equal users of our roads”.
Taken together, these statements show that government policy and rhetoric have consistently pointed toward reducing car dependency and promoting active travel. The NEP even contemplates fiscal incentives for bicycles and requires that new roads include bike lanes. Yet the latest legislative changes and enforcement actions move Cayman in the opposite direction.
The 2026 Traffic Act Amendment and clampdown
Under the Traffic (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2026, the government removed the 15mph threshold from the definition of a “pedal cycle” and replaced it with “a motorised bicycle or cycle propelled by means of pedals”.
By eliminating any reference to motor power or top speed, all e‑bikes, regardless of their power, are now treated as motor vehicles. The accompanying enforcement campaign requires riders to be at least 17 years old, hold a Category 0 or 2 driving licence, register and license the bike, pass a roadworthiness inspection and obtain third‑party insurance.
Riders must also add features such as horns, mirrors, brake lights and mounting brackets for number plates equipment that standard e‑bikes are not designed to carry. Government press releases say these rules apply to “micro‑mobility devices” including electric scooters, Segways and pedal‑assist bikes. The NRSC emphasised that e‑bike riders are subject to the same “rules of the road” as cars.
In practice, the crackdown means that young people and low‑income workers who bought inexpensive pedal‑assist bikes to get around safely now face licence fees, inspection appointments and insurance premiums that can exceed US$1,000. With only one insurer offering coverage at the start of 2026, many riders simply cannot comply.
How Cayman’s approach diverges from global norms
The Cayman Islands is essentially creating a single, all‑encompassing category for any bike with a motor. In most other jurisdictions there is a clear distinction between low‑power, pedal‑assist bicycles and high‑powered scooters or mopeds:
United States – More than 40 states use a three‑class system. Class 1 and 2 e‑bikes (pedal assist or throttle assist up to 20 mph) are treated like bicycles and do not require a driving licence or registration. Only higher‑speed Class 3 bikes (pedal‑assist up to 28 mph) are subject to extra requirements.
European Union and UK – The EAPC/EPAC definition limits motor power to 250W and cuts off assistance at 25km/h (15.5mph). People aged 14 or over can ride these bikes without a licence, registration or insurance. Faster S‑pedelecs require a moped licence and insurance, but low‑speed EPACs remain regulated as bicycles.
Canada – Federal regulations define a power‑assisted bicycle as having a motor output ≤ 500W and top speed ≤ 32km/h. Provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia permit these bikes on roads and bike paths without registration or insurance. Riders must generally be 16 years or older.
Standard manufacturing standards (such as EN 15194 in Europe or UL 2849 in North America) assume that low‑power e‑bikes are bicycles. They require lights, reflectors and braking performance but do not include horns, turn signals or license‑plate brackets. Manufacturers design e‑bikes to meet those bicycle‑specific standards and cannot easily retrofit them to comply with Cayman’s new motor‑vehicle requirements.
Why the clampdown undermines Cayman’s green commitments
1. Contradiction with the National Energy Policy – The NEP calls for public education on bicycle safety, fiscal incentives for purchasing bicycles and the inclusion of bike lanes and bike‑friendly amenities. The policy aims to reduce fuel use for transport by 16.5 % and encourages cycling, walking and public transport. Treating a pedal‑assist e‑bike as a motor vehicle requiring licensing and insurance directly undermines this objective.
2. Discouraging affordable low‑emission mobility – One of the reasons people purchase e‑bikes is to have inexpensive, emission‑free transport. Requiring a driver’s licence, insurance and registration increases the cost of ownership and will likely push riders back into cars or illegal unregistered bikes, negating any emission reductions and worsening congestion. This is at odds with the government’s messaging during Car Free Week and Energy Cayman, which encouraged people to leave their cars at home and even provided free bike shares.
3. Incompatibility with manufacturing standards – Off‑the‑shelf pedal‑assist bikes are built to EN 15194/UL 2849 specifications. They lack horns, turn signals and mounting points for number plates and thus cannot pass the DVDL inspection without major alterations. The enforcement campaign is effectively forcing riders to modify vehicles beyond their design, potentially voiding warranties and creating safety risks.
4. Equity concerns – Only one insurer initially offered policies and premiums were extremely high. Low‑income workers who rely on e‑bikes for affordable transportation face fines or confiscation if they cannot pay for licensing and insurance. This raises questions of fairness and seems inconsistent with the NEP’s call to reduce transport energy use across the entire community.
5. Missed opportunity for classification – The simplest solution would be to adopt the widely used two‑ or three‑class e‑bike system and impose motor‑vehicle requirements only on bikes that exceed 15 or 20mph or 750W. Low‑power pedal‑assist bikes could then be regulated like bicycles, preserving safety requirements (lights, reflectors, helmets) without burdensome licensing. Cayman’s law currently offers no such nuance.
Suggested questions for officials
1. How does treating 250W pedal‑assist bikes as motor vehicles align with the NEP’s promise to promote cycling and reduce carbon emissions? The NEP even suggested incentivising bicycle purchases; the new law does the opposite.
2. Why were internationally recognised e‑bike classes and manufacturing standards not considered? Nearly every developed jurisdiction distinguishes between low‑power e‑bikes and mopeds.
3. What provisions are being made to ensure affordable insurance and licensing? The NRSC’s own statements admit that only one insurer is on board; skyrocketing premiums will deter adoption and disproportionately affect lower‑income riders.
4. Will there be investment in cycling infrastructure? The NEP calls for bike lanes, fiscal incentives and dedicated cycling amenities. Without safe infrastructure, forcing e‑bike riders onto congested roads while treating them like motorbikes is both dangerous and counterproductive.
Conclusion
The Traffic (Amendment and Validation) Act 2026 broadens the definition of “pedal cycle” to include any motorised bicycle or pedal‑assisted cycle, removing the previous 15 mph speed threshold. Consequently, Cayman’s Traffic Act treats all e‑bikes regardless of power or speed as motor vehicles.
Riders must be at least 17 years old, hold a Category 0 or 2 driving licence, obtain third‑party insurance, and register and license the bike. These requirements mirror those for motorcycles and are enforced under a national road‑safety crackdown.
Compared with laws in the USA, EU/UK and Canada, Cayman’s approach is unusually stringent. Other jurisdictions classify e‑bikes based on power and top speed and exempt low‑speed pedal‑assist bikes from motor‑vehicle requirements. They also rely on manufacturing standards (EN 15194, UL 2849) that define safety and performance parameters but do not require horns, indicators or number plates.
Cayman’s legislation lacks such classification, imposes motorcycle‑style equipment requirements, and sets a high minimum age and licensing threshold. It therefore does not align with global e‑bike standards and may not be compatible with existing manufacturing specifications, potentially making compliance difficult and discouraging adoption of low‑emission transport.
If the CIG wishes to honour the goals of the National Energy Policy, Car Free Week and its partnership with Cayman Cycling, it should revisit the legislation, adopt power and speed‑based classifications and invest in safe cycling infrastructure.
