Councils Demand Greater Control and Resources
The City of Sydney is urging the NSW Government to revise proposed share bike regulations, arguing that the current draft leaves councils without sufficient control or resources to manage the schemes effectively.n
In the past year, annual share bike trips in Sydney have nearly doubled to 4 million, highlighting the growing popularity of these schemes. However, Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore AO, believes the draft regulations are complex and could lead to confusion over jurisdiction.n
“The current proposal feels like a missed opportunity for the effective management of share bike schemes that I have been asking for since 2017,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO.n
Proposed Changes and Concernsn
The City of Sydney is calling for a limited number of operators and a cap on fleet numbers to prevent an oversupply of bikes. It also demands more direct funding from operators to support bike parking infrastructure and other costs.n
The city wants operators to be held accountable for customer complaints and compliance with regulations. it seeks legislative powers for councils to enforce parking rules and issue fines for bikes obstructing footpaths.n
According to Moore, “We need the NSW Government to take a clearer leadership role.” She suggested starting with a few high-performing operators and expanding based on their management capabilities.n
The current funding model proposed by the NSW Government would see them collect most of the operator fees. This leaves local councils responsible for the costs of installing designated bike parking areas and managing complaints and enforcement.n
Moore emphasised the need for clearer and easier powers for councils to install and enforce safe bike parking. Any increase in operators or share bikes should be based on operator performance, including their responsiveness to customer complaints and ability to manage parking.n
There is also concern over how the proposals handle e-scooters. The City of Sydney wants the ability to decide on e-scooter use locally and will not support trials until bike scheme issues are resolved.n
For more details on the proposed regulations and to participate in the discussion, visit the City of Sydney’s official website.
