THE future of Lake Macquarie's purple e-bikes is on the line as the council decides whether to continue the 12-month trial beyond June.
The two-wheelers have been a problematic stick in the spokes for Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC), which Cr Jason Pauling slammed as an "absolute joke" in December, last year.
As the trial draws to a close, the council will invite the community to share their views on whether to make the scheme a permanent fixture on the lake's foreshores.
"Whether you're a frequent e-bike rider or have just been curious about the purple e-bikes you've seen across the city, we want to make sure we gather a range of opinions and perspectives as we consider the outcomes of this trial," LMCC community partnerships manager Andrew Bryant said.
"We know mobility and accessibility are important issues for our community and we are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to help our residents and visitors to Lake Mac get around and explore our city."
A survey will go out to the community for feedback about the scheme until April 16. The results will form part of the council's evaluation of the 12-month trial.
The e-bike trial has been widely criticised by both councillors and locals, after bikes have been seen toppled over, strewn across footpaths and dumped for days on end.
In December, Beam confirmed it had put on more patrols and invested in rider education and enforcement.
At the time a spokeswoman for the company said it had tripled its patrols and was confident the additional measures would deter dumping.
Mr Bryant said shared mobility schemes could play an important role in Lake Macquarie's overall transport mix and help people get to work, school or visit local businesses while providing the city with an economic boost.
Beam is also running an e-scooter scheme in Lake Macquarie as part of a wider state government trial.
The future of e-scooters will be assessed separately to the council's evaluation of the bikes.
Police have handed out just four infringement notices for personal, illegal e-scooters across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie in the last 12 months.
The survey is available on LMCC's website.
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