Consultation opens on use of private e-scooters across SA’s road network

Should private e-scooters and other personal mobility devices be allowed on the state’s road network? A new consultation period will allow South Australians to have their say.

A consultation period will invite South Australians to have their say on the use of private e-scooters and other personal mobility devices across the state’s road network.

Under current laws, e-scooters are only allowed to be used under “trial conditions”, with lengthy trials operating in the Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide, as well as in the council areas of Norwood, Payneham and St Peters, Charles Sturt and Unley.

Privately-owned e-scooters, e-skateboards and other personal mobility devices are not allowed to be ridden on public roads and footpaths.

A YourSAy survey, to be launched on Tuesday, will invite feedback on whether those rules should be changed.

Police Minister Joe Szakacs said e-scooters and other personal mobility devices offer a sustainable alternative transport option for short journeys.

Joe Szakacs says the law has not kept up with the use of personal mobility devices like e-scooters. Picture: NewsWire/David Mariuz

“The current e-scooter trials across metropolitan Adelaide have shown us that e-scooters can reduce traffic congestion, provide a cheap alternative for short journeys and reduce our carbon footprint,” he said.

“But it has also taught us that the misuse of the devices can create safety issues for some of our most vulnerable road users.”

Mr Szakacs said it was clear the law had not kept up with use of personal mobility devices.

“The government is committed to meaningful engagement with community to deliver a sustainable and future-proof law reform,” he said.

Earlier this year, a parliamentary committee recommended that the government move to change laws to legalise the use of private e-scooters.

Greens MLC Robert Simms, committee chair, welcomed the consultation.

“E-scooters are an environmentally-friendly transport option that has been embraced by many South Australians,” he said.

“While the committee was supportive of their ongoing use, we also wanted to ensure that the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is protected.”

Beam and Neuron e-scooters parked in the CBD.​

The opposition earlier this year introduced a bill that would have legalised use of private e-scooters, but it was voted down by the government.

Mr Szakacs said the bill was “undercooked” and failed to address issues like insurance of the devices.

Opposition treasury spokesman Matt Cowdrey defended the Liberals’ plan, which he said had been modelled on legislation that was introduced by interstate Labor governments.

“We know that this has just been put in the go-slow lane, that we won’t see legislation in South Australia to allow these devices to operate this calendar year with this having now gone out to consultation,” he said.

On the issue of insurance, Mr Cowdrey said it was “something that develops with a market”.

“We know that interstate providers of insurance have developed policies based on the fact that these devices have been made legal so this is a little bit like the chicken and the egg,” he said.

“You don’t have an insurance market without an ability to use these devices so I don’t think that issue is something that South Australians should be held back on because of.”