Illegal e-bike riders fined in Sydney’s south as police warn of further enforcement

More than 170 fines were issued to e-bike and e-scooter riders in a two-day police crackdown in Sydney’s south, as authorities warn of increasingly dangerous behaviour. NSW Police launched Operation E-Voltage last week, targeting illegal and non-compliant devices in the Sutherland Shire.

Operation E-Voltage Targets Illegal E-Bikes

NSW Police Superintendent Anthony Boyd said over 300 e-bike riders were stopped during the operation on Monday and Tuesday. Five riders tested positive for drugs, and police laid at least five charges related to criminal offences and 21 traffic-related charges.

On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy was cautioned by police after being caught riding an illegal e-bike, classified as a motorbike, on Sturt Road in Woolooware. He was provided with information regarding e-bike regulations under the Young Offenders Act.

Less than an hour later, highway patrol officers stopped a 25-year-old man riding an e-bike without pedals on Denman Avenue in Woolooware. He was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for driving while disqualified. Police also fined him for riding an unregistered and uninsured bike and for not wearing a motorcycle helmet, and cautioned him for riding on the footpath. He allegedly tested positive in a roadside drug test, with a secondary test sent for analysis. He is due to appear in Sutherland Local Court on April 16.

“Some of the behaviour we are seeing is, silly. It’s dangerous,” Superintendent Boyd said. “We need it to stop and we’re just putting everyone on notice with Operation E-Voltage that these operations are going to continue.”

Authorities say e-bikes are becoming an increasing problem, with a surge in popularity leading to dangerous incidents. Strikeforce E-Voltage aims to disrupt and reduce the illegal and dangerous use of non-compliant e-bikes and associated anti-social behaviour.

Seize and Destroy Powers Coming

Last month, the government announced plans to introduce laws allowing police to more easily seize and destroy e-bikes exceeding the 25 kilometre per hour speed limit. Transport Minister John Graham said the measures are intended to control illegal devices and prevent dangerous behaviour that has resulted in deaths.

The new laws are modelled on similar powers granted to Western Australian police. Three portable “dyno” devices have been purchased to assist with enforcement, and will be deployed to high-use areas to detect whether an e-bike’s power cuts off at 25km/h.

“We will be crushing bikes in New South Wales. We hope people will get the message,” Mr Graham said. “There’s been a small number of bikes crushed in Western Australia. People have got the message. We hope to crush one bike and educate 1,000 but we’ll keep going until people get the message. We need to get these illegal bikes off our roads.”