E-bike Safety Australia company directors believe schools should provide digital IDs for student e-bikes to teach accountability. Photo: Alec Smart
Confusion and conflict are mounting as councils, representative bodies, and private entrepreneurs race to address e-bike safety concerns, with each pushing competing solutions to address the regulatory vacuum.
Private company E-bike Safety Australia has already implemented e-bike license and registration plate programs in five Cronulla schools, while established cycling body Bicycle NSW is rolling out education-focused “quasi-licensing” schemes with the help of councils. They are now in talks with a number of Northern Beaches schools.
Northern Beaches Council recently backed the Bicycle NSW approach, disappointing E-Bike Safety Australia, which insists its accountability-based licence plate model is superior.
But Transport for NSW has now thrown cold water on all private initiatives, officially stating it does not support any third-party licensing or registration schemes. The Department of Education has followed suit, advising schools against issuing bike licences.
Electric-powered bicycles ridden without a helmet along Manly seafront, despite the fact the bike can reach speeds of up to 25km/h. Photo: Alec Smart
What’s the issue?
While there are several issues relating to the growing popularity of the environmentally friendly transport, this specific conflict relates to heavy use by high school students who are yet to have any formal education on road rules nor etiquette.
Transport for NSW says it, as the responsible body, is addressing some of these concerns and is “currently exploring options” for an online road rules and safety knowledge test for e-bike users under 16 years. Similar to what is being offered by private organisations, it is also looking to develop a publicly available e-microbility device learning and testing module to be voluntarily adopted by councils, delivery riders, and share scheme operators, and managed by NSW Government. It says it will not be introducing a licence or registration scheme.
A Transport representative further shared, “It is also reviewing current powers in the road transport law to seize illegal e-bikes at the roadside.”
Too little, too late?
“The reality is, State Government and Federal Government have left things way too late,” responds E-bike Safety Australia duo directors Mathew Rog and Ben Horwood. “It shouldn’t have taken a company like us to step up to actually take the reins of this problem,” Ben told Manly Observer by the Manly Corso beachfront stairs as teens on e-bikes whizz past.
The two ventured up from Cronulla, where they have already made strides with their program, implementing it at five high schools in their area, with plans to expand it to Northern Beaches schools. We are advised Narrabeen Sports High and St Luke’s Grammar School have had meetings with E-bike Safety Australia about their program.
(Left to right) Mathew Rog and Ben Horwood see helmetless e-bike riders while discussing the very issue.
The pair say they are on a mission to teach young people how to ride responsibly via training programs, digital IDs and registration plates for students across the state.
Their program entails 45-minute learning modules from road rules and public etiquette to bike maintenance, followed by a knowledge test. Once ‘verified’, a student receives a unique E-Bike ID Tag and a digital licence that can be used to identify them for monitoring and accountability.
“Before implementing the program in Cronulla High School, the school was receiving around 30 complaints a week. Now that’s dropped considerably. And not only do they get the complaint, but they can actually go to the child that the complaint is aimed at. That also gives that child the accountability, and they have to face the music, as the parents are notified. This is a way to actually change behaviour through accountability,” Ben said.
“So – perfect timing, even better timing,” he added, before being interrupted by a group of e-bike teens racing by, “no helmets.”
“The whole eastern seaboard of Australia has this issue of e-bikes, right where we are here in Manly, it’s obvious that the issue is not just a Cronulla-wide thing. So – perfect timing, even better timing,” he added, before being interrupted by a group of e-bike teens racing by, “no helmets,” Matthew pointed out.
Although the program is primarily aimed at kids under 16 who have yet to be educated about proper road rules and etiquette, the pair says they have courses for all ages to sharpen skills and understand how their bike works.
Electric-powered bicycles ridden without a helmet along Manly seafront, despite the fact they can reach speeds of up to 25km/h. Photo: Alec Smart
What’s confirmed locally?
In July, NSW Police released stats from their month-long Operation Kilowatt, which saw 90 official warnings and cautions handed out to people committing e-bike offences on the Northern Beaches.
Police undertaking an e-bike blitz at Manly on 15 July 2025. Supplied: NSW Police
Since then, Council has called on the State to introduce more e-bike safety measures and regulations but have taken some measures into its own hands, such as the licensing scheme – a move that Council says was approved by Transport NSW back in June.
“At a state level, there is currently no consistent bicycle education or awareness programs for schools in NSW and I believe that it is critical that young people have a basic understanding of road rules, safety measures and bicycle use etiquette,” Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins said during a Mayoral Minute which voted in an e-bike licence scheme in July.
Mayor Sue Heins launches Council’s e-Bike safety campaign on Manly seafront, February 2025. Photo: Alec Smart
Councillors voted to participate in a Student Bicycle Licence Scheme being trialled by Bicycle NSW and did not consider alternatives such as those offered by E-Bike Safety Australia.
The trial will begin over the “next few weeks” and will also provide an online testing process to ensure students have a basic understanding of bicycle safety, involving a licensing scheme which can be picked-up by any school in the LGA. But, Bicycle NSW CEO Peter McLean says there are some key differences in two organisations programs.
“We’re a governed, structured organisation that’s served the needs of bicycle riders for 50 years in New South Wales, and no doubt, will continue to so. We see ourselves as quite a different player in that space,” Peter told us.
“We’re not excluding anyone if they ride an e-bike or a normal bike. It’s still really, really important to obey the road rules and respect and educate our shared areas. You can still be quite dangerous and disrespectful riding a non-powered bicycle down the Manly promenade,” he said.
The program will also include primary schools and the trial will be in collaboration with three other Councils across NSW; Sutherland Shire, Randwick and Newcastle.
Police undertaking an e-bike blitz at Manly on 15 July 2025.
Meanwhile, Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby has thrown her support behind e-bike licence, plate registration and education program. She believes 12-year-old kids who ride around in registered speedboats with a boat licence “behave better” due to being held accountable by police, stating the same concept should be held in relation to e-bikes.
“E-Bikes have huge benefits to Sydney’s transport system and have become a cultural revolution on the Northern Beaches,” she said.
“E-Bikes have huge benefits to Sydney’s transport system and have become a cultural revolution on the Northern Beaches.”
“Despite a compliant e-bike being considered a bicycle under NSW legislation, it is fundamentally different, with significantly higher risks – it goes consistently faster, is significantly heavier… and therefore should be treated differently from a bicycle. One of the best changes we can make is to introduce a licensing and registration scheme.”
Even with the State Government refusing to consider licensing and registration for student e-bikers, Ms Scruby said she would be willing to work with local schools to trial the outcomes and will be visiting the principal of Cronulla High School “to learn the benefits” of the licence and registration program.
Watch this space.
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