Operation Shore Safe summer run ends with 1325 legal actions along NSW coast

newy.com.au – NSW Police say the summer iteration of Operation Shore Safe has concluded across coastal communities from the Central Coast to Port Stephens, with officers focusing on education and enforcement around roads, shared paths and busy pedestrian areas.

Launched in October 2025, the operation is a joint initiative between Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and the Northern Region to address increased motor vehicle, e-micromobility and pedestrian activity during the peak visitor season.

Police said solo motorcycle officers, supported by unmarked highway patrol vehicles, trail bikes, e-bikes and bicycle patrols, were deployed to supplement local police and highway patrol resources across the summer period.

A major focus remained education around the safe and legal use of e-micromobility devices, with officers engaging with hundreds of riders, including young people, and contacting parents and carers to provide advice and safety information.

NSW Police said 1325 legal processes were initiated during the operation, including infringements and formal cautions, while 22 traffic-related charges were laid and 11 Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA) charges were laid.

In an example detailed by police, officers patrolling Macquarie Drive at Warners Bay on Friday 6 February 2026 sighted a group of e-bike riders before stopping one rider on Linden Avenue at Eleebana a short time later. Police said they spoke with the young person, contacted his guardian to attend the location, and demonstrated the bike’s non-compliance by showing it was capable of travelling at 88km/h unassisted, before issuing a warning.

Newcastle-Hunter Sector Highway Patrol Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes said community engagement was one of the operation’s strongest successes. “Every deployment over summer showed us how willing the community is to engage with police,” Barnes said.

“Our officers spoke with countless e-bike riders – many of them young people – and worked closely with parents and carers who genuinely want to keep their kids safe,” he said. “Even small, seemingly harmless modifications can make an e-bike unsafe or illegal, and those conversations have been crucial in preventing harm.”

Traffic North Highway Patrol Commander Superintendent Julie Boon said the operation delivered on its core objectives of visibility, education and enforcement. “Operation Shore Safe is about smart, proactive policing,” Boon said. “By combining high-visibility patrols, targeted enforcement, and meaningful community engagement, we’re reducing risks on roads, shared paths, and in busy pedestrian areas during one of the most challenging times of the year.”

Police said the next phase of Operation Shore Safe would continue in coming months, with a high-visibility presence to address safety risks linked to high visitor numbers, increased pedestrian activity and the growing use of e-micromobility devices.