ROAD RULES 2014 - REG 250 Riding on a footpath or shared path

ROAD RULES 2014 - REG 250

250 Riding on a footpath or shared path

(1) The rider of a bicycle who is 16 years old or older must not ride on a footpath unless--

(a) if the rider is an adult--the rider is accompanying a child under 16 years of age who is riding on the footpath and the child is under the rider's supervision, or

(b) if the rider is not an adult--the rider is accompanying a child under 16 years of age who is riding on the footpath under the supervision of an adult and the rider is also under the supervision of the adult, or

(c) the rider is a postal worker who is riding the bicycle in the course of his or her duties as a postal worker, or

(d) the rider is carrying a person who is under 10 years old as a passenger on the bicycle or in or on a bicycle trailer towed by the bicycle and the bicycle is not a pedicab.

: Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.

Note 1 :
"Bicycle trailer" is defined in rule 257 and
"footpath" and
"postal worker" are defined in the Dictionary.

Note 2 : Subrule (1) is not uniform with the corresponding subrule in rule 250 of the Australian Road Rules . However, the corresponding subrule in the Australian Road Rules allows another law of this jurisdiction to prohibit a rider of a bicycle who is 12 years old or older from riding on a footpath. Different rules may apply in other Australian jurisdictions.

Note 3 : A rider of a bicycle who is under 16 years of age may ride on a footpath unless such a rider is prohibited from doing so under rule 250- 1 or rule 252.

(1A) A rider of a bicycle does not have to comply with subrule (1) if--

(a) the rider is carrying a medical certificate that states a medical practitioner believes the rider should be allowed to ride on the footpath because of a medical condition the rider has, and

(b) the rider is complying with any conditions stated in the medical certificate, and

(c) no other law of this jurisdiction states that this subrule does not apply.

Note :
"Medical certificate" and
"medical practitioner" are defined the Dictionary and
"medical condition" is defined in subrule (3).

(1B) Also, a rider of a bicycle does not have to comply with subrule (1) if the rider is accompanying another person who is exempt under subrule (1A).

(1C) However, the rider is exempt under subrule (1A) or (1B) only if the rider who is carrying the medical certificate immediately produces the medical certificate when an authorised person asks to see the certificate.

Note :
"Authorised person" and
"medical certificate" are defined in the Dictionary.

(1C-1) A rider is not exempt under subrule (1A) or (1B) if there is a bicycle path or shared path available near the footpath.

Note 1 :
"Bicycle path" is defined in rule 239.

Note 2 : This subrule is an additional NSW subrule. There is no corresponding subrule in rule 250 of the Australian Road Rules .

(2) The rider of a bicycle riding on a footpath or shared path must--

(a) keep to the left of the footpath or shared path unless it is impracticable to do so, and

(b) give way to any pedestrian on the footpath or shared path.

: Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.

Note 1 :
"Pedestrian" is defined in rule 18, and
"shared path" is defined in rule 242.

Note 2 : For subrule (2),
"give way" means the rider must slow down and, if necessary, stop to avoid a collision--see the definition in the Dictionary.

(3) In this rule--


"adult" means an individual who is 18 years old or older.

Note : There is no corresponding definition for this term for the purposes of rule 250 of the Australian Road Rules . The definition is required for the purposes of subrule (1)(a) and (b).

"footpath" does not include a separated footpath.


"medical condition" means a medical condition that makes it impractical or unsafe for a person who has the condition to ride a bicycle on the road.

Note : There is no corresponding definition for this term for the purposes of rule 250 of the Australian Road Rules . The definition is required for the purposes of subrule (1A).

Note :
"Separated footpath" is defined in rule 239.