‘Cyclists must obey the speed limit too’: 150 speed pedelecs fined in Mortsel

Mortsel is turning its speed cameras on fast electric bicycles as well as cars. Since the start of the year, about 150 speed pedelecs have been caught speeding in the Belgian city and their riders have received fines.

The city is placing mobile cameras at selected busy cycling locations, including Amadeus Stockmanslei and Jordaenslei, both part of the bicycle highway. Mayor Michiel Hubeau said Mortsel was not installing cameras specifically on cycle paths, but was deliberately using its mobile equipment on heavily used cycling streets.

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We are not installing specific speed cameras on cycle paths, but we are deliberately using our mobile cameras on busy cycling streets such as Amadeus Stockmanslei and Jordaenslei, which are part of the bicycle highway.

Speed pedelecs carry registration plates, so they can in principle be detected wherever speed cameras operate. Mortsel has chosen to emphasize enforcement because of repeated complaints from residents. Hubeau said young parents cycling with children and older people had told the city they felt unsafe around fast riders.

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We often hear from young parents cycling with children, or from older people, that they do not feel safe because of the fast cyclists.

The number of detections has risen sharply. Hubeau said around 40 speed pedelecs were caught in 2025, compared with nearly 150 this year. The riders were fined, and the city hopes the penalties will remind them that the 30-kilometer-per-hour limit applies to them too.

Mortsel is also adding more speed-limit signs along cycling routes. From the end of September, police will carry out additional checks on cyclists riding the wrong way on cycle paths.

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In 2025, around 40 speed pedelecs were caught by cameras, but this year there are already nearly 150.