Bike riders across the state are celebrating today as the NSW Transport Minister announced a softening of the proposed ban on e-bikes on commuter trains to include only modified e-bikes.
In July, Greens Councillor Jess Whittaker told Wollongong Council that plans by NSW Government to place a ban on people taking e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards on trains between Wollongong and Sydney would be an economic and tourism disaster and a major inconvenience for hundreds of local commuters.
Signs promoting the bans were in place at North Wollongong railway station before being withdrawn quickly, with Transport for NSW apologising, saying they'd been installed prematurely. A period of review was instigated with NSW Transport Minister John Graham saying the ban was being considered as a response to a spate of battery-related fires
Cr Whittaker told a July meeting of Council: "We are a UCI Bike City with 140 bike-friendly businesses and with long-awaited mountain bike trails about to open. I have reliable information there have been zero fires from lithium-ion batteries on trains in NSW." She described the NSW response as "disproportionate".
On Monday, the NSW Government scaled back on its original blanket ban. Only commuters travelling with a converted e-bike on train services will face penalties of $400 to $1,100 from 1 November 2025.
The ban will only apply to converted e-bikes – a pedal bicycle fitted with an aftermarket battery and motor – and will apply on all trains and platforms.
“This is a win for common sense," Cr Whittaker said. "I’m so relieved the Transport Minister listened to the concerns of people who ride e-bikes, as this was clearly an over-reaction to the small risk of a fire on a train, something we have not seen happen in NSW.”
“I put up an Urgency Notice of Motion about this issue at the July Council meeting, because we said from the start this ban would unfairly impact young people, disabled people, delivery riders and the growing bike tourism industry.
"It would have been a disaster for Wollongong, especially as our newly adopted Transport Strategy promotes the growing uptake of using multiple forms of transport in a single journey.”
“As our city increases in density, we must continue to adopt policies that encourage less cars on the roads. Knowing you can head out on an e-bike, but use the train for a back up or for part of the journey is a big part of many people’s daily journey, and reduces the range anxiety some people feel with electric-powered transportation.”