Trade News Briefs – December
NSW Takes Tentative Steps Towards Legalising Private E-Scooters
In what seems to be a “testing the waters” process, in early November 2024 the New South Wales Government announced a series of regulations aimed at legalising e-scooters.
Despite currently being “illegal”, the government said the latest data shows that 459,000 e-scooters are owned in homes across NSW along with 570,000 e-bikes. It also revealed that 34% of e-micromobility trips are replacing car trips in greater Sydney and 45% in regional NSW.
One action, introducing new safety standards regarding the sale of lithium-ion batteries and e-micromobility devices, has already been implemented by NSW Fair Trading. Sellers of devices like e-scooters and e-bikes will soon face penalties of up to $825,000 if they do not meet strict new device standards.
Another action, a pilot for marked, dedicated parking bays for shared e-bikes, is underway at nine train stations around Sydney: Central, Circular Quay, Wynyard, Barangaroo Metro, Newtown, Sydenham, Marrickville and Bondi Junction. The aim of this new parking trial is to make it easier for riders to know where to safely park their e-bike without creating clutter.
The draft e-scooter rules include the need for riders to always wear an approved bicycle helmet and be at least 16 years old.
An E-micromobility Interagency Group, set up in May 2024 and made up of 15 NSW Government agencies, is coordinating delivery of actions across NSW.
In announcing the proposed legalisation, NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said, “There are already 1.35 million e-micromobility devices in homes across NSW. Almost 460,0000 of these are e-scooters. But only 22% of people across the state know it’s illegal to ride e-scooters on our roads and streets.
“It’s a strange regulatory blind spot, and it has to change.
“E-bikes and e-scooters aren’t without controversy, which is exactly why we’re taking action. It’s clear we need a regulatory framework that will allow people to make the most of this transport option, without compromising on community safety.
“Allowing people to ride an e-scooter to the shops or nearby train stations will take pressure off our roads and lessen competition for parking. It’s a big win for everyone, we just have a bit more work to do to get the balance right.”
For more information on the potential changes to e-scooter use, see: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/e-scooter-changes.
For more information on the E-micromobility Action Plan, visit: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/e-micromobility.
Reid Bikes and Bikes Online Announce Strategic Partnership
Reid Bikes, was founded in Melbourne in 2009. Over subsequent years it opened a nationwide chain of brick and mortar stores across Australia’s capital cities.
As we reported here, by 2023 they were closing all but one store, to focus on online direct to consumer sales instead. They’ve recently closed that final store, which was in Richmond, an inner suburb of Melbourne.
Fast forward to November 2024 and Reid Bikes has just released a joint press release with Sydney-based online retailer Bikes Online saying that Bikes Online will not oversee distribution of Reid bikes through direct to consumer, online sales.
Bikes Online was founded by co-CEO’s James Van Rooyen and Jonathan Allara in 2011. They are already the exclusive Australian distributor for Polygon and Marin bicycles.
“We’re very excited to combine forces with Reid, as Reid’s range of affordable bikes really
enhances our mission of “ride more for less” and encouraging more Australians to get
into cycling” said Jonathon.
According to Rob Akam, CEO of the Reid Group, Reid branded e-scooters will continue to be sold through Anaconda and Costco are currently selling a couple of Reid analogue MTB models. In both cases these are directly imported and won’t be part of the Bikes Online arrangement.
Reid was wholesaling to some regional Australian independent bicycle dealers in the past, but this was never their core business model.
As we reported as part of our Eurobike 2024 coverage in the last section of this article, Reid bikes has long since expanded beyond Australia’s shores and now sell bicycles in approximately 25 countries worldwide.
Queensland Becomes Third State to Open Helmet Regulations
For many years the only helmets that could be legally sold and ridden on public roads in Australia were those with Australian Standards approval.
Even though there are long-established standards for helmets in the USA and Europe, this meant that helmet manufacturers or their importers had to pay for expensive further testing and certification to meet the Australian standard. Many brands decided it was not worth the expense for a relatively small market, so the end results were a higher cost for all helmets and a narrower range of helmet brands and models available.
In March 2024 the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) opened the Australian market to helmets that met European and American standards and no longer required them to also meet the Australian standard. This then required each state and territory to change their laws to ratify the ACCC ruling.
In late November 2024 Queensland became the third state to do so, following in the footsteps of NSW and WA. It’s likely that all other states and territories will follow suit, although there is no set timetable or requirement for them to do so.