Guangzhou's delivery bikes to get special license plates

Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, plans to roll out specialized license plates for electric bicycles used in the delivery industry in the first half of 2025, officials said Tuesday. The move aims to standardize management in the rapidly growing sector.

Ding Wen, head of the traffic police detachment with Guangzhou's public security bureau, said the plates will be available exclusively to delivery companies and their employees.

Speaking on a public hotline, Ding said the initiative is part of broader efforts to address challenges posed by the city's burgeoning delivery industry, which often strains urban infrastructure.

Home to over 18 million residents, Guangzhou has built 2,966 kilometers of non-motorized vehicle lanes and installed dedicated signal lights at 259 intersections. However, gaps remain.

"The city faces significant limitations in road infrastructure. Many non-motorized vehicle lanes are either missing, narrow or disconnected in some sections," Ding said, adding that addressing these issues is a priority for 2025.

Despite dedicated lanes, some electric bike riders still use motorized vehicle lanes, prompting authorities to enhance enforcement. Ding said traffic police had deployed both on-site and off-site surveillance systems, including over 200 electronic devices, to detect violations.

For riders who obscure license plates to avoid penalties, Ding said new plates will feature embedded electronic devices to prevent tampering. Authorities are also tackling illegal motor vehicle parking on nonmotorized lanes, deploying additional surveillance cameras and increasing patrols.

Guangdong has registered over 9,400 e-bike-related traffic accidents this year, resulting in 1,195 fatalities. While the death toll has decreased by 11.2 percent year-on-year, the number of accidents has risen by 2.7 percent, according to provincial traffic management officials. In an effort to curb accidents and congestion, Guangzhou will implement a 15-kilometer-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes in non-motorized lanes starting Dec 30. Ding said the measure aligns with national road traffic safety laws.

Authorities are also working with delivery platforms to improve operations, including optimizing algorithms and relaxing delivery time.

"Guangzhou's 10 major delivery platforms have established daily communication and coordination mechanisms with traffic police," Ding said.

Local delivery riders have welcomed the planned changes.

"Specialized license plates will help regulate the industry and improve conditions for riders like us," said a delivery worker surnamed Li.