Illegal e-bikes to be seized and crushed under NSW crackdown

NSW Police will be given expanded powers to seize and destroy illegal electric bikes under new laws targeting high-powered devices operating on roads and footpaths.

New safety regulations came into effect on February 1, requiring all e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, self-balancing scooters and lithium-ion batteries sold in NSW to be certified before sale.

The changes are aimed at throttle-only and overpowered electric motorbikes often marketed as e-bikes, including so-called “fat bikes”, which are not legal under NSW law.

The Minns Labor Government said the new legislation strengthens police seizure powers, allowing confiscated bikes to be destroyed to prevent them returning to use.

Minister for Transport John Graham said riders using illegal devices should expect enforcement action.

“If you are breaking the rules, and your bike does not meet the very clear specifications of a pedal-assisted e-bike, expect it to be removed from your possession and crushed,” he said.

The government said it will also invest in portable testing equipment to allow police to determine whether an e-bike’s power assistance cuts out at 25km/h, as required under NSW regulations.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said parents should carefully check whether devices marketed as e-bikes are legal before buying them for children.

“We all have a role to play, especially parents, in making sure kids are riding legal e-bikes and not being put at risk,” she said.

The crackdown follows rising concern about injuries linked to illegal e-bikes, with health authorities reporting a sharp increase in hospital presentations involving electric bike crashes in recent years.

NSW Police said enforcement will focus on illegal devices being used on roads, footpaths and shared pathways across the state.