• Scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, (wheeled recreation devices) are subject to NSW Road Rules. TfNSW advice
• E-bikes must be mostly propelled by riders - a motor can't be the only source of power.
• E-scooters - personal e-scooters remain illegal in NSW roads, footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes. E-scooter shared scheme trial information
• Cyclists in NSW must also follow the road rules. Children under 16 and older riders who are supervising them may ride on footpaths unless signs specifically prohibit it.
• Children over 16 may not ride on footpaths unless they are shared footpaths. When riding on the road, riders need to keep to the left and where possible use marked bike lanes.
  
• All riders must keep to the left and give way to pedestrians.
• All riders must dismount their bike at a pedestrian crossing and walk their bike across the road.
• It's the law to wear a helmet in public spaces when on a bicycle.
  
• All petrol-powered bicycles are illegal on NSW roads and road-related areas such as footpaths, shared paths, cycle ways and cycle paths

• All bikes, scooters, skateboards, e-bikes should be in good safe working order and fitted with working brakes, reflectors, a bell and lights if being used at night.
• A bell and brake are required by law when riding bikes in public.
• A bicycle maintenance safety check should be done before any trip.
• Bicycle/wheeled device templates are available to support families and schools manage maintenance of wheeled devices.

• Cyclists of all ages are required by law to wear a correctly fitted and fastened helmet. In NSW, an approved bicycle helmet must comply with Australian or overseas standards, more information TfNSW helmet safety.
• Parents and carers are asked to support the school and the department by complying with this law.
• Schools should advise parents or carers if a student is not wearing a helmet. The school may request the student not bring their bike onto school grounds if they do not wear a helmet. (sample letter templates available - staff only)
• Transport for NSW also recommends riders of scooters and skateboards wear an approved helmet and protective gear such as knee pads and elbow pads.

How a student travels to and from school is the responsibility of the parent or carer.

A principal cannot enforce how a student should or should not travel to school.

However, a principal can deny/ban the bringing of bikes, scooters, skateboards and other wheeled devices onto school premises if:

• it is identified that the traffic environment is unsafe for students to ride in
• the wheeled devices onsite present a hazard and/or safety risk to others
• the wheeled device is illegally ridden on NSW road and road related areas, such as footpaths
• persistently displays unsafe behaviours when travelling, or there has been extensive consultation between school staff and the school community to identify, address and resolve the concern.

The school has a duty of care to ensure all students travel to and from school as safely as possible.

If a student is observed arriving at or leaving the school without wearing a properly fitted helmet, riding an unroadworthy bike, or engaging in unsafe riding behaviour, they should:

• notify the student to walk with their bike, and not ride their bike until the condition is met
• inform parents and carers of how students are expected to ride safely and follow the road rules to and from school and/or maintain their bike
• provide localised teaching and learning activities about safe travel to and from school, including safe riding behaviours, safety gear and helmets
• notify relevant authorities if the school becomes aware of a traffic environment infrastructure issue, or efforts to liaise with parents and carers do not result in improved student riding behaviours.
• document all the above actions.

Advice from DoE Legals

(sample bicycle and wheeled device templates available - staff only)

• Not all schools have the facilities to store students' wheeled devices. The decision to install and maintain bike racks is made by the school. Some schools choose not to have bikes brought into the school. This may be due to safety reasons, or the inability to safely secure bikes.
• Wheeled devices need to be stored in the area specified by the school.
  
• The school accepts no responsibility for loss, damage or theft. We recommend that students lock their wheeled device with a secure chain.
  
• The school may assist with safe storage of helmets if space permits.

All schools should note Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing advice for storage of lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes:

• charging of e-bike batteries is not permitted on department sites
• ensure e-bikes are stored in a location away from structures.