Authorities get tough on oBike

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has lost its patience with bike-share company oBike, empowering the City of Melbourne to hit the company with penalties of $3000 for every dumped or damaged bike it fails to collect.

From June 6, the bikes will be considered “litter” under an order from the EPA, and the company will have just two hours to collect abandoned bikes considered a hazard in the street.

For damaged and vandalised bikes the Singapore-based company will have 24 hours before it is slapped with the fine, and for bikes left in creeks or rivers it will have seven days.

EPA CEO Nial Finegan said the crackdown was overdue.

“The authorities are responding to a disruptive technology that has become a nuisance, an eyesore and a hazard to people’s safety,” he said.

“Whilst not wishing to stifle innovation in anyway, EPA will act to protect the environment for all Victorians.”

More than 100 bikes were found dumped in the Yarra River during an EPA investigation. Bikes were also discovered in trees, broken or damaged by vandals, and even used for makeshift public art.

Mr Finegan said the EPA was forced to issue the notices as it was not given any assurances from oBike that it “could, or would, manage this issue in the absence of the statutory notices”.

If the bikes aren’t collected within the allocated timeframe, the EPA will seize them and impose the fine.

Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss welcomed the EPA’s move to give the City of Melbourne greater powers to issue fines on operators who don’t adhere to regulations.

Cr Voss said her council would await discussions with the EPA on how the powers may apply in Port Phillip, but insisted the state government needed to follow the example set by New South Wales, which recently granted greater power to councils to deal with the issue.

“While Port Phillip Council strongly supports the benefits of sustainable transport, we have been very vocal about the need for state regulation of dockless bike share following the arrival of oBike in our city,” she said.

“We hope the Victorian Government will follow NSW’s example and work with local government to give us more powers to deal with dumped share bikes.”

The public can report dumped, damaged or excessive numbers of oBikes to the company’s customer service hotline on 0452 512 453, or email [email protected].