Independents Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Federal Member for Mackellar, and Jacqui Scruby MP, State Member for Pittwater, are joining forces to make e-bikes safer on the Northern Beaches and to lead policy in NSW and Australia.
This week they’re hosting a sold-out community forum with local police, school leaders, pedestrian safety and trauma experts, Bicycle NSW and E-Bike Safety Australia - bringing the community together to discuss accessibility and safety concerns and shape practical solutions.
E-bike use has exploded: in 2017 just 9,000 were imported into Australia, but by 2023–24 that number had surged to more than 260,000. The Northern Beaches now have one of the highest uptakes in NSW.
“E-bikes are part of everyday life for our community, but we have to get the balance between independence and safety right,” explains Dr Scamps.
Both MPs acknowledge the difficulty of tackling e-bike safety, regulation and enforcement and playing catch-up with laws that haven’t kept up with the pace of change.
Ms Scruby said: “We’re grappling with balancing the benefits of e-bikes with serious issues like children being charged with criminal offences, redefining footpaths, illegally modified e-bikes ridden at high speeds without safety equipment or insurance, and a lack of enforcement.
“With so many e-bikes on the Northern Beaches we have an opportunity to lead the discussion. I’ve already advocated strongly in State Parliament for clearer laws focusing on enforcement, speed limits on footpaths, and innovative registration and licensing in schools so kids know the rules and risks. This is about keeping everyone in our community safe.”
Dr Scamps will be pushing for stronger national safety standards and tighter import controls, after changes in 2021 relaxed the rules on high-powered bikes entering the country.
“A major problem is that many popular e-bikes are easily modifiable to go well beyond the legal speed limit for bicycles. We need stronger import standards to make sure we keep school kids and pedestrians safe,” Dr Scamps said.
Both MPs stressed that as independents their emphasis is on listening and working with the community. The sold-out forum shows just how strongly locals feel about finding a balance - embracing e-bikes as part of sustainable transport, while making sure they’re safe for everyone.