New South Wales has introduced new laws governing shared e-bike operators, requiring companies to obtain approval from Transport for NSW and authorisation from councils or other authorities before operating in public spaces.
The reforms, which took effect today, are the first of their kind in Australia and are aimed at addressing concerns about footpath obstruction, safety and the rapid expansion of shared e-bike services.
Until now, shared e-bike operators were able to deploy bikes without formal approval. Under the new system, operators must meet a consistent set of statewide minimum standards covering insurance, helmets, device safety standards, identification of bikes and the provision of data on trips, incidents and complaints.
Operators who fail to comply with the new rules face penalties of up to $55,000, with additional fines of $5,500 per day for ongoing breaches, including failing to remove improperly parked bikes.
The laws require approved operators to ensure e-bikes do not block footpaths, pedestrian crossings, bus stops, light rail stops, taxi zones or fire exits. Councils will have the power to issue penalties, while Transport for NSW can suspend or revoke an operator’s approval if obligations are not met.
Local councils and authorities will also be able to establish dedicated parking zones, no-go areas and go-slow zones for shared e-bikes.
The reforms introduce fleet caps linked to demand and operator performance, with the aim of limiting oversupply in some areas. A per-trip levy on operators will fund a $6.6 million Sharing Scheme Grant Program, allowing councils to apply for grants of up to $200,000 to build e-bike parking infrastructure.
The government said the reforms would be introduced in stages over the coming months, giving councils and government land managers time to establish parking zones and enforcement arrangements.
Transport Minister John Graham said the laws were intended to improve safety and reliability while responding to community concerns.
He said operators would no longer be able to place bikes wherever they chose and would instead be required to register with Transport for NSW and obtain local approval.
The reforms also include measures targeting illegal private e-bike use. These include powers for NSW Police to seize and crush illegal privately owned e-bikes, reducing the permitted e-bike power limit from 500 watts to 250 watts, introducing stricter technical standards to prevent tampering with power output, setting a minimum riding age and imposing new safety standards for lithium-ion batteries.
Converted e-bikes will also be banned from trains and Sydney Metro services because of concerns about battery fires.
Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neill said the changes would take time to implement fully, but communities would begin seeing improvements in the coming months.
Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said the reforms aimed to preserve the benefits of shared e-bikes while responding to concerns about safety and poorly parked devices.
Shared e-bike use has grown rapidly across Sydney and other NSW centres, with operators expanding fleets in response to increasing demand for short-distance transport. The growth has also led to complaints from pedestrians, disability advocates and councils about bikes obstructing footpaths and public spaces.
The NSW Government said the new framework was designed to support shared e-bikes as a transport option while giving councils stronger powers to manage their impact on local communities.
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