Soft launch imminent for shared e-bike service
The shared micromobility company Lime has approached Mosman Council with a view to set up a service in the busy harbourside suburb.
Mosman Mayor Ann Marie Kimber told NL a soft launch was expected, where Lime would initially move the geofencing across the North Sydney local government area border into Mosman.
“A soft implementation means they’re going to allow bikes to come across from the North Sydney boundary at Cremorne, where normally they’d have to stop as they are geofenced – the wheel locks and they can’t continue in a no-go zone. They’re geofenced at Spofforth Street,” Mayor Kimber told NL. “We can specify (the mapping) to Lime and they have to geofence the bikes according to what we’ve approved.”
Mosman Council will only authorise the service once no-go zones and end-of trip parking have been agreed, and Mayor Kimber said council is working with Lime, who would have representatives working within the authorised area to monitor the service and ensure the e-bikes are returned to the appropriate place after use.
“If we call up and say a bike’s been dumped, they will have it removed and put in an appropriate place,” Mayor Kimber said. “But until we have agreed where we want the bikes to go, where we don’t want them to go, and where we want them parked at the end of trip, they’re not going to be rolling out here yet. But they are imminent.”
Lime’s service in the Willoughby LGA ceased in 2024, Willoughby MP Tim James said, when it was agreed that ‘services would not resume until clear operating parameters had been agreed with council.’
“Prior to that, there was real frustration in the community about bikes being left in inappropriate places, blocking footpaths and creating hazards for pedestrians, parents with prams, people with disability and older residents,” Mr James told NL. Council had been fining the operator at the time for bikes left in incorrect locations.
Mr James said that shared services needed ‘clear guidelines, accountability and enforcement in place’ prior to service.
“Shared e-bike services can have a place in the local transport mix, but they must be orderly and properly managed,” he added.
Willoughby City Council said any future operator would be expected to ‘manage their fleet responsibly, including promptly relocating devices that obstruct footpaths or public spaces, to maintain pedestrian safety and accessibility.’
“Council recognises e-bikes as an alternative transport option but considers it important that any future integration is safe, well managed and does not negatively impact the community.”
North Sydney has had share bikes since November, 2024, expanding the service in 2025 to include St Leonards, Crows Nest and the North Sydney CBD.
Mosman will do a formal review after six months of operation to formerly assess the Lime service, but will continually monitor the operations.
“The last thing we want is bikes all over the footpath and dumped all over the place, because that that will be completely unacceptable to the community,” said Mayor Kimber.
Lime pays councils 20 cents per trip; however, it’s proposed that Lime pays the State Government 60 cents a trip, which was ‘inadequate,’ Mayor Kimber said.
“It’s council who will be taking the phone calls from residents saying the Lime bikes are parked in the wrong place,” Mayor Kimber stated. “We’re advocating that we get paid more. It should be at least the same, or more than, what the government gets.”
Mayor Kimber hoped that people in Mosman would use the service in a ‘respectful way,’ and that it encouraged people to leave the car at home.
“I know that Lime wants this to be a success, so they will be hopefully working collaboratively with us to make it successful,” said Mayor Kimber. “It’s a wait-and-see game at the moment.”
Lime said it was unable to provide comment.