Operators cluttering streets with electric hire bikes will pay to fund a crackdown on the surging share schemes while facing new rules on parking and helmets.Â
Operators like Lime, Ario and Hello Bike are able to deploy e-bikes without approval from councils or the NSW government, but laws to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday will enforce minimum standards.
Councils will also get to decide where the bikes can be ridden and parked to reduce clutter.
"Shared bikes strewn across footpaths and roads have been an eyesore and a danger to pedestrians for too long," NSW Transport Minister John Graham said.
The share-bike schemes have benefits including reducing congestion and helping people connect to public transport.
"But the current voluntary approach to parking and safety isn't working."
The operators will pay a fee to fund compliance monitoring, parking bays, infrastructure and a data-sharing platform to monitor use of the bikes they deploy.
Removal orders will come with penalties up to $55,000, with an extra $5500 for each day operators breach requirements.
There will also be penalties of up to $110,000 for those that fail to comply with requests for information to show they are meeting the required standards.
The changes come following a parliamentary inquiry into the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and related devices.
The government is also moving to recoup funds from dormant smartcards in the state's Opal smart ticketing system to help fund some of the changes, as well as bike lockers near public transport.
An estimated $70 million is sitting on 17 million Opal cards that haven't been used for years.
Many of the cards are unregistered and are thought to be from tourists with an average unused balance of $4.
The money won't be recouped until the 2026/27 financial year and a 12-month campaign will give people a chance to recover the funds themselves first.
Opal cards are no longer required to use public transport, with passengers able to use contactless payments on a credit or debit card, phone or smartwatch instead.