Australia set to legalise e-scooters on streets as a part of a plan to reduce city congestion
Comments Off on Australia set to legalise e-scooters on streets as a part of a plan to reduce city congestionNew South Wales is preparing to legalise e-scooter use for commuters in an effort to reduce road congestion.
Source: Daily Mail
The “E-micromobility Action plan“, released ahead of a parliamentary inquiry into electric bikes and scooters, aims to establish legal and regulatory guidelines for these devices. Although e-scooters can be purchased legally in New South Wales, using them on public roads is currently prohibited.
Despite the ban, estimates suggest there are around 459,000 privately owned e-scooters in the state. Shared e-scooter services are also banned, although trials have been approved in select areas, including Albury, Kogarah, Forster-Tuncurry, and Wollongong.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen supports the plan, which would permit both private and shared e-scooters for commuting to and from rail and Metro stations. Under the proposal, riders must be at least 16 years old, wear helmets, and use bike paths or shared zones. The plan also recommends investments in infrastructure, such as shared paths and parking bays for e-scooters.
Transport for New South Wales highlighted that the plan “recognises the potential for e-micromobility to be a safe, sustainable and accessible transport option for the people of New South Wales” The department added that e-scooters could provide an efficient “last-mile” solution, connecting people to public transportation.
Haylen explained that while the focus is on regulating private e-scooters, the government is open to working with councils interested in shared e-scooter initiatives.Haylen expressed that legalising and regulating e-scooters would benefit everyone by alleviating congestion on the state’s roads. She noted, “Allowing people to ride an e-scooter to the shops or nearby train stations will take pressure off our roads and lessen competition for parking,” as reported by the Daily Telegraph. However, she acknowledged that some work remains to strike the right balance.
According to Ms. Haylen, new regulations are needed for e-scooters and e-bikes due to certain safety concerns highlighted in the report, as the devices are not without controversy. These concerns include speeding, riding on footpaths, operating under the influence, and potential risks to vulnerable pedestrians.
Between 2020 and 2023, police recorded 124 e-scooter accidents, resulting in three fatalities and 116 injuries, 40 of which were classified as serious.
Pedestrian Council of Australia CEO Harold Scruby criticised the increase in private e-scooter and e-bike usage as “pure anarchy.” In his submission to the parliamentary inquiry, Scruby warned that these devices could turn footpaths into “hostile” and potentially dangerous areas for pedestrians, stating, “To show such utter contempt for pedestrians and turn footpaths into hostile and potentially lethal environments defies belief.”
The push for e-scooter legalisation in New South Wales follows Melbourne’s recent decision to ban public e-scooter rentals. In August, Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Nick Reece, introduced an amended motion in a Future Melbourne committee meeting, resulting in the termination of contracts with e-scooter providers Lime and Neuron. However, the ban does not affect private e-scooters, which remain allowed in the central business district and nearby areas such as Carlton and Southbank.