Bicycle NSW welcomes the findings of the Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related mobility options.
The comprehensive 184-page report from the Transport Portfolio Committee can be found here. Or read on for our much briefer analysis!
The Inquiry has addressed many concerns about e-mobility. It recognises that the current problems around the use of e-bikes and e-scooters are largely due to systemic failures, not individual road users. Governments have not provided adequate regulation or infrastructure for the safe and comfortable use of e-bikes. Policy and actions have not aligned to leverage the amazing opportunity offered by e-mobility.
“The issues we are seeing with e-mobility devices are not so much about the devices themselves – they are signs that the rules and the way we enforce them are outdated or ineffective,” writes Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, the inquiry chair in the report’s forward.
“The committee was unanimous in supporting the expansion and integration of both private and shared e-bikes and e-scooters in the state’s transport system through a comprehensive regulatory framework that prioritises safety and accessibility.”
E-mobility offers amazing opportunities to decarbonise transport, improve access, reduce cost of living and improve health and air quality – but policy settings have lagged behind uptake (Image: Aventon)
Many of the report’s 34 recommendations align very closely with the 24 recommendations Bicycle NSW made in its submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry in August 2024. It is clear that our advocacy had an impact - our submission was discussed over 50 times in the report.
In general, the recommendations aim to double down on the potential of e-bikes and other micromobility devices to decarbonise transport and improve mobility for people of all ages and abilities in NSW.
There is no plan to put the #bikeboom back in the box. “The horse has bolted on e-bikes and e-scooters,” says Bicycle NSW CEO Peter McLean. “It’s now about how we respond proactively and sensitively to that. These recommendations are really positive”.
Safe infrastructure is a key priority
Bicycle NSW’s overarching message has always been that cities need to adapt to accommodate space efficient, low emission and sustainable transport such a e-bikes.
This means separated infrastructure in appropriate places, and reduced vehicle speeds and volumes everywhere else.
In our submission, the first 7 recommendations related to making streets safer. We are delighted that the Parliamentary Inquiry’s findings have an equally strong focus on creating a safer environment for bike riders.
The NSW Government is urged to significantly increase funding for active transport infrastructure and prioritise the construction of the Strategic Cycleway Corridors. A substantial increase in the Get NSW Active program is exactly what Bicycle NSW has asked the Treasurer for in our Pre-Budget Submission!
There is also welcome support for a change to the road environment that Bicycle NSW has long advocated for – reducing speed limits to a level that enables bikes to safely share the road with vehicles. In high pedestrian activity areas, on mixed traffic cycle routes and around schools, 30km/h is the best practice speed limit.
Proposals for regulatory reform
Bicycle NSW is pleased that the report recommends reviewing the Road Rules 2014, and the Roads Act 1993.
Recommendation 18 of our submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry provided a detailed list of road rules that need to be changed to improve safety for vulnerable road users. This is a good starting point for NSW Government!
And there is fantastic hot-off-the-press news. A review of the Roads Act is now underway! This 30-year-old document is complex and outdated. It throws too much red tape over proposals to change the road environment. The aim is to make it easier to create streets people love. Bicycle NSW is a key stakeholder in the review. Join the discussion here.
Another significant recommendation is to allow the use of private e-scooters, but with a speed limit of 15km/h on shared paths and footpaths. This acknowledges the growing popularity of e-scooters and the need to ensure safe use.
More controversial is the proposal to allow all types of legal bicycle and e-mobility device on footpaths. 15 km/h would be the maximum speed and there would be a mandate to yield to pedestrians.
This is a reasonable solution to a knotty problem. Of course, bicycle riders don’t want to ride on footpaths. They only do so when the road feels unsafe and there is no bike infrastructure. Footpath riding must not be a get-out-of-jail card that allows governments to delay allocating road space for micromobility.
An overhaul of shared mobility schemes
NSW Government is asked to provide clear and consistent support for share mobility schemes. This includes a statewide framework of one set of regulations, with agreed variations to meet the needs of different urban, suburban and regional context. There would be caps on the number of devices and operators. And road space should be reallocated to create parking corrals for bikes and scooters.
This is exactly what Bicycle NSW’s Recommendation 12 asked for! Unregulated bike share has impacted the social licence for all e-mobility. The NSW Government must recognise that bike share is a valuable part of a transport network. State funding, support and subsidy is needed.
Education on road rules and safe riding needs turbo-charging
A range of rider education programs have been recommended in the report to promote safe and responsible use of e-bikes and e-scooters. Education is directed to food delivery riders, shared bike riders and teenagers.
One idea is to require a pass in the Driver Knowledge Test for all e-mobility riders over 16, including food delivery riders. Recommendation 29 proposes an online road rules and safety knowledge test that target e-mobility device users under the age of 16.
“This is a very practical step forward and something which Bicycle NSW is currently planning with governments,” says Bicycle NSW CEO Peter McLean.
A major focus on battery safety
There are significant fire risks associated with defective lithium-ion batteries. The Parliamentary Inquiry report highlights the need for nationwide standards to ensure the safety of e-bikes and e-scooters batteries.
There are several good proposals for recycling, stressing the importance of circular economy principles for the industry, and public education. Battery swapping is suggested to reduce the need to charge devices at home.
All in these ideas feature in the Bicycle NSW submission, Recommendations 20-23.
It is positive that the NSW Government has already acted on battery safety! There is a new standard for lithium-ion batteries in e-micromobility devices. The standard mandates compliance to international safety and quality standards for any new e-mobility products purchased from 1 February 2025.
And there is more good news!
The report’s Recommendation 18 urges the NSW Government to set an ambitious mode shift target to drive policies, programs and funding that will transition trips away from private vehicle use and towards public transport, cycling, walking, car sharing and e-mobility.
This is good to see, but there are no metrics. The Climate Council has modelled private vehicle kilometres need to be converted to shared and active travel at the rate of around 5% a year. Something equally ambitious is needed for NSW!
There is a recommendation (5) to review the e-mobility device specifications against the national standards, presumably seeking better alignment across Australia. Bicycle NSW advocates for the existing e-bike definition to be modified to clear up confusion and include a wider range of safe devices. We can then draw a sensible and workable line between legal and non-legal devices, manage speeds better and offer insurance to more riders.
Recommendation 24 is for the NSW Government to collect separate data on e-mobility devices and work with other jurisdictions to establish a national crash database. This is an essential initiative for filling significant data gaps that currently hinder policy making.
An element of Recommendation 9 is the review of fines for e-mobility offences to ensure they are proportionate to the risk posed and effectively promote safer riding behaviour. This is a current advocacy campaign for Bicycle NSW. NSW has the harshest legislative environment for people in bikes in the entire world and an overhaul of the fines is long-overdue.
Thankfully, the Select Committee did not suggest licencing or registration for e-devices as “implementing a bureaucratic registration process for riders would limit accessibility of e-bikes and e-scooters, particularly for low-income earners.”
Unsurprisingly, no changes were mooted to mandatory helmet use for shared e-mobility schemes at this time.
But some things are amiss
Some of the Bicycle NSW recommendations were ignored by the Parliamentary Inquiry.
For example, there is nothing in the report about establishing a ‘sunset’ program to transition illegal e-bikes into compliant categories or out of the market. Nothing about moving to universal charging plugs to minimise the risk of unsafe charging and mismatched equipment. Or training e-bike mechanics to ensure that e-devices scan be maintained and have a long life.
We are disappointed that the report does not make any suggestions about subsidies to incentivise the uptake and use of legal, high-quality e-bikes. Only parking for shared devices is discussed in the report. But there is a huge hole in the provision of secure storage space for e-bikes, both within developments and on the streets. This could be addressed through amended development control plans (DCPs).
And we are concerned about Recommendation 22 to institute a 15 km/h speed limit for e-mobility devices on shared paths. This sounds wrongly worded. Speed on shared paths should be appropriate to context. In busy areas with pedestrians, 15km/h is suitable. But NSW has 1000km of shared paths with very little footfall where higher speeds are not problematic.
What will happen next?
The report and its recommendations are now with the NSW Government for consideration. The government is required to respond to the proposals within three months. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the recommendations will be taken on board.
Bicycle NSW urges all stakeholders to collaborate to refine the recommendations and implement as many as possible.
“Bicycle NSW will remain deeply involved with the process,” says Peter McLean. “We will be reaching out to government to discuss operational requirements and practicalities to help keep everyone safe.”
“Bicycle NSW is also eager to explore the option for creating a viable model for e-mobility insurance, as per Recommendations 33 and 34.”
Help us keep the conversation going
Bicycle NSW has a seat at the table of all levels of government. Our small team is dedicated to making NSW better for bike riding. But we need your assistance!
Become a Member today and support our advocacy for better infrastructure and safer streets. You will also ride easy, covered by our comprehensive insurance and enjoy many other Member-only benefits.
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