More details have been revealed about Wollongong's e-bike shared scheme and shared e-scooter trial, with the potential for shared e-bikes to be on the city's streets by late September.
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Tender documents prepared by Wollongong City Council call for providers of shared e-bike and e-scooter schemes to lodge their interest in the scheme by August 17.
The documents set out two separate schemes.
The first is an e-bike shared scheme, which would allow for dockless e-bikes to be placed around the city for riders to use via an app.
The bikes would come with a helmet, bells and front and rear lights.
The successful provider would have to ensure that bikes are not placed in dangerous locations and it will be the provider's responsibility to deal with damaged or unsafe bikes.
If too many bikes are in any one location providers will have to redistribute the bikes or provide incentives for riders to move the bikes to needed locations. Council documents also recommend that bikes be placed close to bus stops and train stations to integrate with public transport and promote multi-mode use.
The bikes will be GPS tracked and data from the tracking will be provided to Council.
The separate e-scooter scheme will operate for 12 months as part of a state-wide trial of e-scooters in NSW.
In Wollongong, the trial would begin later in the year, after Council submits a request to Transport for NSW in September.
Council documents outline the operation of a shared e-scooter scheme. Scooters would travel up to 20km/h and will not be allowed on footpaths, instead restricted to bike lanes, shared paths and roads where the speed limit is over 50km/h.
The provider would need to ensure the scooters are geofenced, so they only operate in a yet to be determined set area, but Council requires the scheme to link foreshore areas to the city and connect local centres with places of education, employment hubs and hospitals.
Currently, e-scooters are prohibited in NSW and riders can be fined for using e-scooters on public roads and footpaths. The e-scooter shared scheme would not open up streets to private e-scooters, however, with only those e-scooters operated under the scheme allowed on public roads.
Under the scheme, dockless e-scooters would be placed around the city, with a focus on high use areas and connections to public transport. Riders will have to wear a helmet.
The successful provider will have to demonstrate to Council how the scheme will keep riders and the community state, including complying with not using mobile phones and managing blood alcohol content of e-scooter users.
The e-scooters will be locked between 12am and 5am and riders have to be over 16.
Council is also looking for a provider to share data on how the e-scooters are used, while complying with privacy principles.
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