Adelaide City Council votes to seek changes to allow e-scooters to be ridden on CBD streets rather than footpaths

Adelaide City Council wants e-scooters to be moved from city footpaths to roads and bike lanes to improve pedestrian safety. Except there is a catch.

Increasing complaints about e-scooters on city footpaths have prompted moves to improve protection for pedestrians.

Elected members have voted for Adelaide City Council to write to the next state government transport minister seeking legislative changes to enable e-scooters to be ridden on roads and bike lanes.

The decision followed a call by councillor Phillip Martin for a review of incidents involving collisions between e-scooters and pedestrians on city footpaths.

Cr Martin said the mobile devices also were causing trip hazards when they were parked haphazardly upon the completion of rides.

An investigation by staff found there were seven complaints about collisions or near misses involving e-scooters on CBD footpaths last year.

However, it was believed the number of incidents could be considerably higher.

An e-scooter is ridden on a road in Melbourne. Picture: Jason Edwards

“Data from the e-scooter operators notes that there are, on average, eight incidents a month relating to injuries, near misses or collisions,” it said.

“It is acknowledged that many collisions or near-misses of this nature may go unreported.”

Under the road rules, e-scooters cannot be ridden on bike or bus lanes, must not exceed 15km and can only be used on roads when riders are crossing or need to avoid obstructions on footpaths for a maximum of 50m.

They specifically are prohibited from roads with dividing lines or median strips, with speed limits greater than 50km/h or are one-way.

It also remained illegal for private e-scooters to be ridden within the CBD, meaning only two private companies, Beam and Neuron, could use council permits approved by the state government to operate e-scooters.

While a national code was being changed to allow the use of private e-scooters, no legislation had been introduced at a state level.

An e-scooter rider on a bike lane in Melbourne. Picture: Jason Edwards

The report said while the amended national code was “currently a model law with no legal effect, the State Government may choose to incorporate them into the road rules”.

“If this were to occur, ministerial approval would no longer be required for the operation of e-scooters and all devices, including shared mobility and privately owned devices, will be legal for use on public roads in every jurisdiction across the state,” it said.

In the meantime, the report said the council could impose certain conditions on e-scooter use through the permits it issued to private operators such as lower speed limits.

However, it was the statutory and legal responsibility of police to enforce the road rules.

An e-scooter rider on a bike lane in Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The report said the council was working with Beam and Neuron “to manage the use of shared e-scooters in the city”.

“(This includes) trialling initiatives that will ensure the appropriate placement of e-scooters when not in use.”

Cr Franz Knoll gained support for the council to write to the next transport Minister about moving e-scooters in the city onto roads and footpaths.

He said this would not only help improve safety but help create a network with neighbouring councils which could encourage commuting from nearby suburbs into the city.