E-scooter parking bays set to be installed across Adelaide CBD

Parking bays for electric scooters are set to be introduced across the CBD to reduce clutter — and you will get a reward if you use them.

Electric scooter parking bays are set to be introduced across the city to stop clutter as well as improve rider and pedestrian safety.

Beam and RIDE announced today they were working with Adelaide City Council to find areas to install parking bays, allowing people to pick up and drop off scooters.

Parking bays would be trialled at Adelaide Railway station, Rundle Mall tram stop, Gouger St and Central Markets, Adelaide University, Rundle St and at each end of Rundle Mall.

Beam e-scooter parking bay. SUPPLIED: Beam

Beam’s SA head of operations Locky Cooper said it was a step forward for e-scooter safety.

“For e-scooters to be effective they need to be dockless and able to be stowed safely on a

footpath wherever a rider finishes their journey,” Mr Cooper said.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for riders to do the right thing to ensure footpaths are uncluttered in areas where there are high volumes of e-scooters and users.”

Beam parking bays would be purple and RIDE spaces are likely to be yellow.

An artist impression of Beam’s parking bay for its e-scooters. SUPPLIED: BEAM

Last month, Australian start up RIDE and Singapore-based Beam won an Adelaide City Council tender to each bring up to 500 scooters to Adelaide until October.

San Francisco company Lime rolled out the first fleet on roads around February, however, its permit was not extended because of perceived safety issues.

RIDE chief executive Tom Cooper expected the bays to be rolled out over the next few weeks.

“It works for everyone — pedestrians and e-scooter riders,” Mr Cooper said.

“If we all work together to provide South Australians the best possible options, there is plenty of room to be successful.”

Beam would also activate its new “preferred parking technology”, which would send riders a reminder text message to stow an e-scooter in a nearby parking bay.

If they use the bay, the rider would receive a 50 cent credit to put towards their next ride.

Adelaide City Council operations director Klinton Devenish said: “The City of Adelaide will work with both operators on developing these zones to best manage e-scooters in the city.”