Willoughby dishes up food delivery forum
Reports of collisions involving pedestrians and e-bike delivery riders and complaints about e-bike riders using footpaths has prompted Willoughby Council to hold a food delivery drivers forum in February.
Council staff presented a report to the 25 November 2024 meeting, which noted an increase in e-bike food delivery riders, particularly in Chatswood CBD. Although essential to the growth of the local economy, staff said e-bikes contributed to traffic congestion and posed a risk to pedestrian safety, with riders speeding through pedestrian areas, across pavements and pedestrian crossings.
Delivery drivers under pressure were more likely to take risks and break the rules – also parking in unauthorised areas and blocking emergency exits.
An Artarmon resident, who did not wish to be named, spent months recovering from an encounter with a food delivery e-bike rider while walking in Artarmon in August, 2024.
“(The delivery rider) was riding on the footpath on Burra Road very fast and coming right at me as I was coming out of the walking track,” the resident told NL. “I did a double shuffle with my feet to avoid her and damaged my knees and back. She seemed inexperienced and young and just giggled.”
The local resident was nervous about the number of e-bike food delivery riders in the area and believed regular bike riders were more courteous.
“It’s only a matter of time before a tragedy occurs with speeding e-bikes,” she said.
Harold Scruby from the Pedestrian Council of Australia told NL that the issue with e-bikes was ‘out of control.’
“Food delivery riders break all the rules with utter impunity on modified high speed e-bikes,” Mr Scruby said. “And unfortunately, it will take many tragic deaths and serious injuries before our politicians wake up and do something.”
The February forum will involve moped/motorbike/e-bike delivery drivers, restaurant owners and locals, and aims to understand the challenges of the food delivery industry.
Council has already commenced surveying drivers in Chatswood CBD.
“We recognise that engaging with drivers can be challenging due to the fast-paced nature of their work,” a council spokesperson said. “Therefore, we are scheduling surveys at the end of shifts and during periods of lower demand.”
A final report will be submitted to council in May.
