The first illegal ebikes seized under new laws have been crushed in New South Wales, as a major Sydney hospital has warned of a spike in trauma injuries driven by those riding under the influence. The NSW government crushed 23 ebikes at a wrecking yard in western Sydney on Thursday, turning them into scrap metal. NSW police are assessing applications for the return of an additional 13 bikes seized during a joint operation with Transport for NSW in the northern beaches in September.
The NSW transport minister, John Graham, told reporters onsite on Thursday “this isn’t a scene from Mad Max. This is where illegal ebikes go to die.” Graham said tough new laws were necessary “because of some of the bad behaviour we’ve seen … on our state’s streets, on the golf courses in Sydney suburbs, even on the Sydney Harbour Bridge”. On the same day, St Vincent’s hospital released figures that showed a 22% spike in legal and illegal ebike injuries, with 42% of those injuries triggering a trauma response and the majority being injured while riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, riding too fast or without a helmet.
It found 361 patients presented to the hospital for ebike injuries between January and July, compared with 296 presentations during the same period last year. Dr Ed Lewis, acting head of rehabilitation medicine, told reporters injuries included fractures, internal bleeding, as well as the “perforation of certain organs”. He said they often included brain injuries from severe head trauma, “as well as milder knocks, like a concussion, which can still have long-term repercussions for patients”.
Lewis told Guardian Australia that those contemplating riding an ebike home while intoxicated “need to have a plan B or a backup solution”. Respect that they are fast. Wear a helmet and just don’t ride impaired.” Graham said the government was concerned by the number of injuries, but it was “important to keep it in context”.
They were loaded into a conveyor belt before being crushed and shredded. Graham said batteries had been removed for safe disposal and recycling beforehand. Under powers which came into effect in August, police and transport officers can seize bikes not restricted to 25km/h, whose maximum speed while not pedalling does not exceed 6km/h, and maximum continuous power of 500 watts, due to reduce to 250 watts in March 2029.
The government says the bikes crushed include one capable of speeds of more than 90km/h seized from a 14-year-old, a food delivery bike, and bikes with speed restriction settings that had been tampered with. The 36 ebikes seized so far represent a fraction of the estimated 760,000 in the state. The changes were prompted by a surge in injuries and high-profile incidents, including one in which about 40 ebikes swarmed the Sydney Harbour Bridge in February.
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