Thousands of Lime e-bikes are set to hit Western Sydney streets before the end of the year.
The bikes will appear in central Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park in the coming months, marking Lime's first major Sydney expansion since 2018.
Lime bikes have proven popular in Eastern Sydney and the central city, with this latest expansion aimed at achieving greater connectivity across the city.
The Western Sydney fleet will consist of a new generation of e-bikes designed to address safety and accessibility issues in the existing fleet.
The new bikes will have smaller, thicker tyres, a lower centre of gravity to reduce toppling when parked and a simplified helmet lock to encourage more helmet use.
Lime bikes have come under fire from emergency room doctors for rider injuries, often caused by the heavy steel bar down the centre of the bike, now made lower and lighter in the new generation of bikes.
Lime bikes can be available without helmets, which are sometimes stolen after a ride. The company is currently trialling a 10% discount for users who send a selfie proving they are wearing a helmet.
Additionally, there have been complaints of Lime bikes parked or fallen across footpaths, blocking accessibility for pedestrians.
Lime is yet to reach an agreement with local councils about how exactly the new fleet will function in Western Sydney.
However, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Waverley Council in Sydney’s east earlier this year that saw Lime pay the council an undisclosed amount to install designated bike parking zones.
Lime Head of Asia Pacific, William Peters, said he hoped a similar arrangement would be reached in Parramatta.
The news comes as Western Sydney's bike network booms, with $14 million recently secured for 16 projects in the region under the Get NSW Active program.
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