E-scooter provider Beam will be replaced by Singapore-based Neuron from February in CBD
E-scooter provider Beam will be kicked out of Adelaide’s CBD, and replaced by a Singapore-based company.
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E-scooter provider Beam said they “won’t be packing up and leaving Adelaide” despite being denied a new contract from Adelaide City Council from February.
The council confirmed Singapore’s Neuron e-scooters will replace existing operator Beam from February alongside Australian-owned RIDE after Beam’s submission for a new city tender was denied.
Adelaide City Council’s Garry Herdegen said all operators that submitted a tender were assessed, with Neuron selected.
“Beam has not been successful in obtaining a permit through this process,” Mr Herdegen said.
The new provider was last year charged with making e-scooters available in public places without a licence by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore.
On February 25, 144 e-scooters were impounded which had been illegally made available for hire after the LTA repeated written warnings to Neuron.
Mr Herdegen said the charges did not affect Neuron’s submission.
“The charges are not connected to the City of Adelaide’s expression of interest process and do not impact on the company’s ability to operate where permitted in Australia.”
Neuron was also granted a coast path tender to provide e-scooters on metropolitan beaches alongside Ride in late December.
Mr Herdegen said the council’s decision was not related to the coast path deal.
“Please note that council’s e-scooter EOI process was run independently to the EOI undertaken by the Western Councils for a trial of e-scooters along the coast path.”
Beam has operated in Adelaide since April 2019 with a 500-strong fleet in the CBD alongside RIDE.
They replaced American-owned Lime who were granted city access for a trial during last year’s Fringe festival.
Beam’s head of public affairs Brad Kitschke said they were surprised by this outcome given the “exceptional service they had provided Adelaide”.
“The decision is puzzling and we suspect the council may not have had all the relevant facts when making this decision,” Mr Kitschke said.
“We have requested feedback about our application but at this point we have no further information.”
He said the decision would not mean the end of Beam outside the CBD after January when their permit expires.
“We won’t be packing up and leaving Adelaide.”
Adelaide City Council is currently working on a review with Transport Minister Stephan Knoll to expand e-scooter access to North Adelaide.
Mr Knoll said he welcomed the council’s appetite to expand the trial.
“The State Government will soon make a decision about potentially expanding e-scooters to North Adelaide,” Mr Knoll said.
The council added it was working to improve issues raised by community members about e-scooters being blown or knocked over, helmet theft and litter.
“Both the operators we have selected will be delivering sturdier, better designed scooters that are harder to knock over, and there will be helmet locks brought in to ensure that helmets stay with the scooters.
“The permit has improved the requirements of operators to share their data which will see improvements to the management of scooter fleets and how they’re being used.”
The new fleet will also introduce density caps on how many scooters can be in certain locations at one time for a better spread across the city.