NSW Plan to Allow E-Scooters on Footpaths Under New Rules
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- May 13
- 2 min read
NSW might finally be catching up with the rest of the country when it comes to e-scooters. Under a new plan from the state government, people aged 16 and over would be legally allowed to ride e-scooters on shared paths and public roads — something that’s been mostly banned outside of trial zones until now.
If the plan goes ahead, scooters would be allowed to travel up to 20 km/h on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less, and between 10–20 km/h on shared paths. That’s actually a bit faster than the 15 km/h cap that was recommended in a recent inquiry — but the government says it’s taking a “balanced” approach.
According to Transport for NSW, these updates would bring NSW into line with most other Australian states and territories, which already allow e-scooters in some form.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison admitted the current rules are “confusing” and said it’s time for a more consistent approach.“We’ve seen some dangerous behaviour, so we’re urging people to exercise caution,” she said.
The changes are part of the government’s response to a Parliamentary inquiry into e-scooters, e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices, which called the current laws “outdated and ineffective.”
That same inquiry also raised concerns about safety — from device modification and battery fires, to shared e-bikes left dumped on footpaths, and riders behaving recklessly. The government says it’s addressing these issues too, with plans for safety standards and better regulation, including fire risk reduction for batteries.
What about e-bikes?
The government also has new proposals for e-bikes, especially around cutting down on street clutter — a growing issue in high-traffic suburbs like Bondi, where Waverley Council just started impounding abandoned bikes.
Currently, e-bikes in NSW are pedal-assisted and can legally go up to 25 km/h. Right now, riding them on footpaths is only allowed for kids under 16, but that might change — the government is reviewing rules that could allow e-bikes on footpaths at up to 15 km/h.
The inquiry had suggested mandatory safety training for food delivery riders and shared bike users, but the government is leaning towards voluntary tests instead — a move that may not satisfy everyone.
One big concern is battery safety: last year alone, there were 275 lithium battery fires in NSW. The government says it’s working on minimum safety standards for all e-micromobility devices to help prevent these incidents.
Transport bosses estimate that around 1.35 million scooters and e-bikes are already in homes across NSW, with the biggest user group being people aged 18–29. So it’s no surprise the government’s trying to find a better way to manage them.
Meanwhile, Victoria recently banned shared e-scooters in Melbourne’s CBD after a string of accidents, but other suburbs are still introducing dedicated parking spots for both scooters and bikes.
The full report on these proposals is expected to be tabled in Parliament today.
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