“Outlaw them”: Angry residents call for Lime Bike reform in North Sydney LGA

By ANNA USHER

The introduction of an e-bike hire scheme to North Sydney LGA has sparked fury from residents who claim they are a “menace” that have turned local streets into “garbage tips”.

Lime Bikes first appeared on the lower north shore in November 2024, with a service area covering North Sydney, Crows Nest, St Leonards and Chatswood.

But since then, the vehicles have been spotted further afield, with increasing numbers dumped in Mosman and even Sydney Harbour.

“These bikes have not only become a safety hazard for pedestrians,” resident Fiona Bailey told Mosman Collective, “but they’ve turned North Sydney streets into a garbage tip.”

Another local, Victoria Houlder, took to social media to vent her frustration, calling for the e-bikes to be banned.

“Outlaw them,” she said, “they are a menace”.

A Lime spokesperson told Mosman Collective that “tens of thousands” of North Sydney LGA residents had used the sustainable transport system since last year.

“Bikes aren’t allocated to specific LGAs,” the spokesperson said, “the fleet is dynamic, and bikes are moved based on user demand.”

The e-bikes work after users download a Lime app to their phones before locating a bicycle and scanning a QR code to unlock it.

Currently, over 300,000 Sydneysiders use Lime to connect to work, study, and the broader public transport network.

But there are no designated parking racks.

“Physical parking infrastructure is the future of shared micro mobility in our cities,” the Lime spokesperson told Mosman Collective, “Lime is fully committed to investing into parking solutions in partnership with local councils and Transport for NSW.”

Following a community call-out, Mosman Collective has been inundated with photos of discarded Lime Bikes, many of them remaining uncollected after several days, despite assurances from Lime that workers are on duty 27/7 to “move, tidy and clean bikes, with a focus on bikes blocking footpaths, safety hazards, obstructing pedestrian flow.”

“There needs to be a dedicated drop off point,” resident Alexandra Mussett said in a social media post, “In Europe, if you don’t drop it [the bike] back to one of the pick up/drop off points, you get charged a full day rate, or an ‘abandoned bike’ rate,” she said.

“It’s dangerous to walk around with kids when they [the bikes] are all lined up,” Grace Hampshire said, “and any wind can just throw them to the ground and knock a child, a pet, an elderly person … it’s ridiculous.”

“They have to go, just go,” said another reader, “I’ve seen them across pathways and elderly residents struggling to get past them.”

A spokesperson for North Sydney Council has confirmed that in the past month, Council Rangers have moved more than 100 Lime bikes that have posed a public safety risk.

“Unfortunately, these bicycles are heavy, and we are not resourced for these additional responsibilities,” the spokesperson said.

“We do need a change in NSW Government regulation. Under current NSW Government legislation, our rangers can only impound bicycles after a 7-day observation period and 4-day notice period.”

The spokesperson said while North Sydney Council welcomes the benefits of sustainable and active transport options, the “regulations for management and oversight require improvement to reduce community impacts.”

IF YOU FIND A LIME BIKE IN YOUR YARD OR PARKED IN YOUR DRIVEWAY:

Contact Lime Bike via: the QR code on the bike, which will connect you directly to the local team or email [email protected] or [email protected]

Lime Hotline: 1800 861 305