City of Sydney in talks with e-bike operators for ‘slow zones’, geofencing technology in speed limit crackdown

Geofencing technology could be used to automatically slow speeding e-bikes on busy Sydney streets as part of a push to put the brakes on cyclists putting pedestrian safety at risk.

E-bike riders could be forced to travel slower in high pedestrian areas across Sydney’s CBD in a council move to put the brakes on speeding cyclists endangering the safety of pedestrians.

The City of Sydney is in talks with e-bike operators to introduce a 10km/h limit in areas such as Pyrmont and Circular Quay as part of a ‘slow zone’ program to boost safety on busy footpaths and roads.

The speed limits could be enforced by e-bike operators adopting geofencing technology that would automatically depower bikes if they travel faster than 10km/h in areas of high pedestrian activity.

The technology could also be used to limit where riders end their trips and park bikes.

While current NSW road accident data does not distinguish between peddle bikes and e-bikes, latest figures show there were 415 crashes involving cyclists in the City of Sydney between 2018 and 2022.

E-bikes often travel in high pedestrian areas.

Under current laws in NSW, e-bikes are legally required to switch-off power once they reach a speed of 25km/h – however it is legal for people to ride faster if the motor is not providing power and if they are travelling within the posted road speed limit.

A City of Sydney spokesman said the council was encouraging the NSW Government to establish a clear and consistent regulatory approach to share bikes.

“While the City doesn’t have any regulatory control nor enforceable powers, we are working with bike share operators to address the concerns of the community regarding the use and parking of their assets,” he said.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“Cities that are walkable have been found to have economic benefits including increased productivity, improved property values and they support local business.”

The growth in the number of e-bikes on Sydney streets soared over the Covid-19 pandemic period and has also been fuelled by on-demand food delivery services. 

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said there had also been a “drastic increase” in the number of share bikes on the city’s streets – soaring from 328 to 4500 over the last two years.

E-bike numbers have soared in the CBD.

She said the increase has led to “unacceptable clutter” of bikes in public areas along with “safety and access issues for people on footpaths and other public places”.

Ms Moore has now called on the NSW Government to introduce limits on the number of share bike operators and the number of share bikes available for use in the local government area.

The City of Sydney is carrying out further work with share bike operators on a pilot program that incentivises riders to park in dedicated zones across Pyrmont and Circular Quay.

Share bikes are often left in pedestrian areas.

Other councils across Sydney are also calling for improved e-bike safety rules including Woollahra Council which wants the NSW Government to carry out a road rule review to prioritise pedestrian safety.

The City of Sydney maintains separated cycleways are the most effective way to support the growing number of people riding in the city while also making footpaths safe.

“While we expand our network of safe and dedicated cycleways we are also continuing to educate people on best practice riding, especially when sharing space with people walking,” a council spokesman said.

Lime Bikes, in a statement, said it supported implementing speed restrictions in high-pedestrian areas across the City of Sydney.

“To ensure the City of Sydney can continue to promote cleaner, healthier, community transport, it is crucial for cities to thoughtfully consider the impact of implementing speed restrictions or other geofencing on city ridership,” a spokesman said.

Transport for NSW in a statement said it welcomed “the City of Sydney working with private operators to find e-bike solutions that work for their local government area”.

“The Speed Zoning Standard provides guidance for setting lower speed limits, including in high pedestrian activity areas or speed limits of 10km/h, 20km/h, 30km/h and 40km/h,” a spokesman said.

“The presence of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, is considered when determining a speed limit.”