Yarra City Council has voted to terminate its long-running shared e-bike trial, rejecting a permanent contract with the sole tenderer, Lime. The decision, made recently by the inner-Melbourne council which encompasses suburbs like Richmond, Collingwood, and Fitzroy, comes after years of escalating complaints regarding dumped bikes and safety hazards.

Mayor Stephen Jolly expressed the council's regret, stating the decision was made with a "heavy heart." However, he highlighted the insurmountable challenge of persuading Lime to take adequate responsibility for its fleet. "We're seeing far too many e-bikes simply abandoned on our streets," Mayor Jolly explained. "This imposes a significant cost on the council for clean-up, a task the company consistently failed to undertake."

The abandoned bikes, often left obstructing footpaths, pose a particular risk to vulnerable residents. "This makes footpaths incredibly difficult to navigate for individuals using prams, wheelchairs, and other mobility aids," the Mayor added. He noted that despite ongoing discussions, Lime reportedly declined to commit to improved management, leaving the council with no alternative but to decline the tender.

Deputy Mayor Sharon Harrison strongly supported the motion to end the trial, asserting that Lime "demonstrated it cannot or will not manage its operations to ensure community safety on Yarra's streets." She argued that the company was effectively getting "a free ride," shifting operational costs onto Yarra ratepayers when the council was left to retrieve discarded bikes. "They were given every chance to improve their act and enhance their service, but no evidence of this materialised," Harrison stated, questioning the rationale behind entering a new agreement that amounted to corporate cost-shifting.

Since the trial commenced in 2020, council officers have logged approximately 100 complaints specifically related to e-bikes. The majority of these concerns centered on bikes being dumped, users riding on footpaths, excessive speeding, riding without helmets, and tandem riding. Mayor Jolly highlighted the pervasive nature of the problem, quipping, "If I had a dollar for every photograph sent to me by a resident of a dumped bike, I'd be significantly wealthier right now."

Despite the council's firm stance, not all councillors were in agreement. Councillor Sarah McKenzie urged the council to reconsider, arguing that the e-bike share scheme still held considerable merit. "While the scheme isn't flawless and certainly has its issues, I don't believe that's a sufficient reason to cease operations now," she remarked. "I think we should revisit it, giving it another opportunity and re-evaluating some of the terms."

Data presented to the council indicated an average of 201 e-bike trips daily within the Yarra area, with approximately 90 per cent of users identified as local residents. Advocacy groups like Streets Alive Yarra also voiced their support for maintaining and improving the scheme. Jeremy Lawrence from the group suggested that the council should actively work to make e-bikes viable, including implementing infrastructure such as bike corrals "in every street, mirroring the provision of car parks." Lawrence emphasised the importance of shared bikes for many Yarra residents, particularly younger people or those who cannot afford to own a car, advocating for streets that support diverse transport modes.

Conversely, local resident Christine Maynard spoke against the scheme during the meeting, echoing widespread frustrations. "Some e-bike users ride like maniacs and then abandon them somewhere for us, the ratepayers, to deal with," Maynard stated, expressing her weariness with bikes cluttering footpaths. "Ultimately, they are a hazard, and I would be relieved to see them completely removed, preventing people from using them in this manner."

Attempts to reach Lime for comment on the council's decision were made.