Busting bike clutter – Randwick Council kicks off discussions with Sydney bike hire companies

Published Date
18/10/2017
News Topic
Council, Sustainability & Environment
A uniform set of rules has been agreed to by bike share companies

Initial discussions between Randwick Council and bike hire company Obike held this week are working towards a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to better manage the proliferation of rental bikes across the eastern suburbs.

The Council will push for an MOU, similar to the Melbourne model, to include requirements for rental operators to respond to complaints about dangerously dumped bikes within two hours and more frequently redistribute bikes accumulated at popular locations. 

Randwick Council will also meet with Reddy Go and three other dockless bike hire companies, who have recently approached Council, to draft the terms of the MOU. 

The agreement is proposed to hold the companies responsible for any dangerous, unsafe, impractical or inconvenient bike parking. 

It will also seek to prevent the public safety issue of bikes left dumped or placed haphazardly on driveways and footpaths or leaning against trees, benches and buildings said Randwick Mayor Lindsay Shurey.

“We want to achieve a balance wherein bikes are readily and easily available to those who wish to use them, but we also want to avoid clusters of bikes left at the beach or obstructing footpaths,” said Mayor Shurey. “Residents have let us know they’re not happy with bikes being left in dangerous or inappropriate locations. 

“An MOU is a positive step in the right direction, but a uniform policy that operates across all local government areas needs to be put in place. I’d like to see Transport for NSW work with us to create a policy and remove the teething issues we’ve experienced with these bike share companies,” Mayor Shurey said. 

Council will continue discussions to push for designated bike parking locations in popular areas such as beaches, parks and shopping centres.

Last Updated: 1 March 2022
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