Revealed: The next suburbs set for e-bike influx as complaints surge

Sydney’s shared e-bike boom is fuelling an unprecedented surge in public complaints, with reports of abandoned bikes, blocked footpaths and pedestrian safety hazards soaring as operators push to expand into new council areas across the city.

Data from Snap Send Solve reveals complaints about shared e-bikes in NSW have surged 155 per cent over the past year, highlighting growing tensions between the popularity of the low-cost transport option and mounting community concerns about public amenity.

The free community platform used to log local issues with authorities recorded 8723 reports relating to shared e-bikes in May, up from 3417 during the same month last year, and NSW led the nation for complaints.

The figures come as Lime, Sydney’s largest shared e-bike operator, seeks to expand into several council areas where it does not currently operate, potentially introducing more bikes into suburbs stretching from Cronulla to Chatswood and Mosman to Parramatta.

The data shows complaints have risen sharply across many of Sydney’s busiest inner-city neighbourhoods as the number of shared bikes on local streets continues to grow.

Zetland recorded 603 reports in May, up from 91 in the same month last year – a 563 per cent increase – while complaints in Marrickville rose from 49 to 505, a 931 per cent increase. Significant rises were also recorded in Newtown, Coogee, Alexandria, Leichhardt and Glebe.

Snap Send Solve chief executive Danny Gorog said reports lodged to the platform included bikes left in waterways, parks and private property, and strewn across streets.

“One of the biggest sources of frustration is the fact they’re being left on footpaths, with people having to walk around them and generally creating havoc for pedestrians,” he said.

While the platform forwards reports directly to operators – with 88 per cent marked as resolved in May – the data does not identify which companies were responsible for individual incidents. Major shared bike operators across Sydney include Lime, Beam and HelloRide.

The backlash comes as shared mobility usage reaches record levels, with statewide trips surging 149 per cent over the past year to 1.17 million journeys in May.

That growth is expected to continue if Lime succeeds with its ambitious expansion plans across suburban Sydney. The company has approached councils including Mosman, Ryde, Sutherland, Willoughby and Parramatta with proposals to operate within their boundaries.

However, the plans have prompted mixed reactions. While Sutherland Shire Council confirmed it is open to considering the proposal, Hunters Hill Council has opposed Lime’s request, citing heritage concerns and a lack of suitable cycling infrastructure.

Mosman Council officers have warned of “visual clutter” and safety risks, noting councils have limited powers to prevent operators entering their areas.

“Our suburb is beautiful and I don’t want Lime bikes running around the place and left in public parks and footpaths for the benefit of a private company,” Mosman councillor Roy Bendall told a council meeting this month.

Transport experts argue shared e-bikes can play an important role in Sydney’s transport mix.

“Shared e-bikes provide easy access to relatively affordable transport alternatives, particularly for some sections of the community including socially disadvantaged and younger people,” said Dr Soufiane Boufous, acting director of the UNSW Transport and Road Safety Research Centre.

The figures come as the NSW government finalises new laws for shared e-bikes and e-scooters to end what Transport Minister John Graham has described as a “regulatory vacuum”.

The laws, expected next month, will give councils power to approve operators, set parking rules including no-parking zones, and issue penalties. Transport for NSW will also be able to suspend or revoke approvals for repeated non-compliance.

“Within weeks our laws will finally give councils the power to choose which providers operate in their area,” Graham said.

Lime declined to disclose its own complaint figures but said it had invested heavily in measures including geofencing technology, designated parking areas and additional ground crews to respond to reports of misplaced bikes.

Professor John D. Nelson, Transport for NSW chair and professor of public transport at the University of Sydney Business School, said the success of the laws would depend on enforcement.

“While regulations around parking and no-go zones are important, they quickly lose their impact if not adequately enforced, and community confidence will be eroded,” he said.

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