E-bike ‘clutter’ on Sydney footpaths is to be cleared with operators to pay a fee to help fund new parking bays on streets and kerbside.
A new $6.6 million Sharing Scheme Grant Program will empower councils and other authorities to create marked bays on streets and in kerbside zones, the state government says.
Up to $200,000 will be available for each grant application with e-bike operators paying a 60 cent fee for each shared trip, the state government said today (June 30).
There are 16 councils in Sydney that host shared e-bike schemes: from the City of Sydney, Inner West and North Sydney to Canterbury-Bankstown, Burwood and Parramatta.
These councils will be able to decide on ‘no-go’ and ‘go-slow’ zones for shared and private bikes and choose which operators can set up in their area, government says.
CLEARING THE E-BIKE CLUTTER
Transport Minister John Graham says clogged footpaths cannot be allowed to continue.
“… We are not willing to stand around and let the
wild west scenes we inherited go on any longer.
“Pedestrians have been crying out for order and for their footpaths back – we’ve heard them,” he says.
“We already know properly marked parking bays reduce kicked over bikes and blocked footpaths by half; now we want the 16 councils to provide them in the areas of most conflict and complaint.”
Transport for NSW is also marking 250 parking bays for 2500 bikes based around transport hubs and train stations this year; 62 are already in use.
Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neill says “the clutter is causing chaos”.
“Poorly parked shared e-bikes have been a pain point for too long, causing major safety concerns particularly for parents with prams, people with low or no vision, people with disabilities, and the elderly,” she says.
Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray says the daily use of e-bikes is proving a growing concern across Sydney.
“We know that more needs to be done to ensure that growth is well supported: people want and need better places to park, and communities rightly expect shared e-bikes to be better managed,” he says.
“The new grant program … will make it easier for people using shared e-bikes to identify better places to park and ensuring share bike planning is integrated with our streets and transport services.”
Murray says councils will get new powers to fine e-bike operators for poorly parked devices; his agency will also be able to revoke an operator’s approval and fine them up to $55,000 for non-compliance with a removal order plus $5500 for every day that the offence continues.
The new rules will be ruled out on a staged basis, government says.
Trials with marked parking bays have proven successful in reducing kicked over bikes and blocked footpaths by half, it says.
OTHER E-BIKE NEWS: NSW Police can seize, crush bikes
