Bill aims to clear the clutter
A State Government e-bike bill will seek to regulate the burgeoning sector, in an attempt to address complaints in many council areas about dumped bikes and dangerous driving.
Australia’s first shared e-bike legislation responds to key recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related mobility options.
For the first time, councils will be allowed to stipulate where shared scheme operators can operate in their area, set dedicated parking areas, go-slow and no-go zones.
Councils will also establish on-street and kerb side e-bike parking bays to give clarity on where to park, to address bike-dumping.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) will operate the scheme, having power to penalise operators and revoke approvals for those who break rules.
Willoughby City Council has just drafted its own e-mobility guidelines which align with the TfNSW framework, but said where gaps exist, council guidelines will continue to apply.
Council told NL that it welcomed the new framework and looked forward to seeing how the new regulations improved services for both the community and local government.
“As with any e-mobility initiative, rider behaviour remains the biggest challenge,” council said. “Issues such as speeding, unsafe parking, riding under the influence of alcohol and non-compliance in pedestrian areas continue to affect safety.
“Council will keep working to promote safe and responsible use through education, awareness campaigns and enforcement in partnership with rangers and NSW Police.”
Approved operators will pay a fee that funds the approvals, compliance monitoring, rangers and to establish parking bays. There will also be a data sharing platform monitoring shared bike use.
Minimum standards will cover helmet provision, distribution and collection of devices, adherence to council conditions, device specifications, complaints handling, incident reporting and rider education.
E-bike share scheme operator Lime said it welcomed the new state-wide regulations that would replace ‘a patchwork of rules and processes across individual councils.’
“The new government framework provides the first consistent statewide regulatory structure for shared micromobility operations, setting uniform standards for vehicle safety, parking, insurance and data sharing,” the statement said.
With regard to a new operator fee, William Peters, Lime head of Asia-Pacific, said the company would incorporate levies into ‘a balanced approach that keeps each trip as affordable as possible for riders.’
