A 21-month-old girl was injured after being struck by an e-bike on a shared pathway near a playground in Newcastle. Ella Mahone was knocked face down onto the concrete and taken to the hospital with a large lump and scrape on her forehead. Her mother, Alyce Mahone, described the incident as the scariest moment of her life. "I remember seeing her pulsating and thinking that her whole head was going to split open," she said. "Putting her in a car seat to get her to the hospital was the worst part of my life. My son was saying, 'Ella's going to heaven … Ella's going to heaven.'"

Since the incident, the Mahone family has been advocating for stricter regulations on e-bikes and e-scooters in New South Wales. "I honestly feel like they won't take action until something happens," Alyce Mahone said. "What are they waiting for? Someone to die, or a two-year-old to die, for them to go, 'OK, let's do something about it now.' That's what makes me feel sick in the absolute stomach."

This year, crashes involving e-bike and e-scooter riders have resulted in five deaths on New South Wales roads and footpaths. Notable incidents include the deaths of an e-bike rider in Waterloo in March and another in Sans Souci in September. In February, an e-scooter rider died in Lithgow, followed by a fatal crash in Wollongong in May. Recently, a 65-year-old pedestrian was killed by an e-bike in Toongabbie, and a 26-year-old woman suffered head injuries after crashing her e-bike into a parked car in Newcastle.

In response to the rising number of incidents, NSW Police have launched Operation Shore Safe, a targeted initiative to monitor e-bike and e-scooter use over the summer. Police will patrol areas from the Central Coast to Port Stephens using motorbikes, trail bikes, bicycles, and unmarked cars to enhance pedestrian safety. Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes of the Newcastle Hunter Highway Patrol emphasized the need for community cooperation. "We can't do it all and that's where again parents and personal responsibility comes into the process," he said. "If we all work together, including local councils, I think we can achieve a lot more."

While Alyce Mahone welcomed the police initiative, she stressed the need for more permanent regulations. "It's good that something's finally going to happen … but there definitely needs to be a push for more rules," she said. She believes e-bikes should be registered and should not be allowed on shared pathways.

An inquiry into e-scooter and e-bike use, launched in June last year, received over 300 submissions. The Pedestrian Council of New South Wales recommended that all e-riders possess a valid driver's license, with a minimum age of 17. They also called for a registration system for electric bikes and scooters, along with a national speed limit of 10 kilometers per hour. Harold Scruby, CEO of the Council, stated, "Footpaths were designed thousands of years ago for one reason, to separate pedestrians from vehicles … they are there to keep us safe. We're going to keep yelling and screaming and agitating until someone comes out and does something."

Current NSW laws regarding e-bikes are complex. Power-assisted cycles must have an output of less than 500 watts and cut off when reaching 25 kilometers per hour. Power-assisted pedal cycles can have a maximum output of 200 watts but cannot be propelled by the motor and must weigh less than 50 kilograms. Private e-scooters are only permitted on private property. The NSW government is reviewing over 30 recommendations from the inquiry. Transport Secretary Josh Murray noted that the focus includes the legal use of these devices in public, battery safety, and the importation of devices from overseas. "We want to make sure that any implementation and growth of these devices in the community is done safely," he said.