Manly Corso: NSW Police blitz following spike in e-bike, electric scooter complaints
A spike in complaints about electric bikes whizzing past pedestrians has prompted a police safety blitz to prevent future tragic incidents on the northern beaches.
Manly
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A campaign to encourage the safe and proper use of electric-powered bikes and scooters on the northern beaches kicked off on Wednesday.
Police officers from the Highway Patrol conducted a special operation to inform — and warn — locals of their responsibilities as riders of the hugely popular vehicles.
It comes as the Northern Beaches Council is conducting a safety audit, and survey, to examine concerns about the risk of death or serious injury to pedestrians and road users by the growing use, size and speed of e-bikes and e-scooters.
The police information blitz and the safety probe also comes after a spike in complaints about e-bicycles being ridden at speed on pedestrian paths.
At the ocean-end of The Corso on Wednesday, between 10am and 2pm, police officers stopped and warned riders.
Riders were not fined, but advised that while e-bikes were legal to ride in public in NSW, they must comply with certain conditions such as not exceeding speeds of 25km/h.
The bikes cannot be powered exclusively by the electric motor — they must be pedalled and the motor used for assistance when riding up hills or into strong winds.
Riders must also adhere to the rules of regular pedal-powered bikes, such as wearing helmets.
Locals were also told that e-scooters and electric skateboards and hoverboards can only be ridden on private land — not on public roads or paths.
Inspector Stuart Forbes, from the Northern Sydney Sector Highway Patrol, said the focus of the operation was the safety of pedestrians.
“It forms part of our commitment to curb some of the incorrect behaviour and illegal modifications done to e-scooters and e-bikes.
“The operation, in its initial phase, is to interact with the public – we’ve go support from local schools, the council, the Northern Beaches Police Area Command and the (NSW Government’s) Centre for Road Safety.
Insp Forbes said there were a number of safety issues on Wednesday with riders not wearing, or incorrectly wearing, helmets.
Riders had their details taken and issued with cautions as well as information about the safe and correct use of e-bikes.
“We were focusing, today, on getting the message across – there were a lot of people interacting with police, asking what do we have to do?
“Mum and dads are buying e-bikes and e-scooters for their kids. They’re easily modified, or come modified, and can go really really fast.
“Schools have really embraced ‘what have we got to do to get our kids on the right page’.”
The council audit is also looking at whether council rangers and police need to crack down on e-bike riders for not wearing helmets, riding on footpaths if they are 16 years or older, and not giving way to pedestrians.
Liberal councillor David Walton, who lodged the notice of motion calling for the probe, said he had been inundated by complaints from residents complaining about nearly being bowled over by e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards on crowded footpaths and popular beachfront shared bicycle paths.
There are also concerns about e-bike riders, especially children riding to and from school, not wearing helmets and weaving in and out of traffic.
The council is also conducting a survey on the use of the vehicles on the northern beaches.
Cr Walton, a former high ranking police officer on the northern beaches, agreed that the increased use of e-bikes, especially on pedestrian paths, could end in tragedy.
He said while he was not opposed to e-bikes, they were becoming an increasing risk to pedestrian safety and that he had several near missed while walking on the shared path between Queenscliff and Manly beaches.
“This is an emerging issue. There is increased reporting of accidents in the media of young people and old people being hit by e-bikes on footpaths.”
For information go to the Centre for Road Safety website.
THE RULES:
Riders of e-bikes have to follow the same rules as those for standard bicycles including not being allowed on footpaths if aged 16 years and over unless they are an adult supervising a child under the age of 16 or accompanying a child under the age of 16.
E-bike riders must wear a helmet
For e-bikes, the electric motor should not assist the rider when the bike is travelling more than 25km/h.
E-scooters are illegal on NSW roads, footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes. They can only be used on private property.
Electric skateboards are not allowed on any public roads and paths unless thy are being used as a mobility aid by a person with a disability.
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