Gold Coast electric scooters: Ride E-scooters in Gold Coast Council crosshairs after launching without approval

An electric scooter hire business may have a short life on the Gold Coast after finding itself in the Gold Coast City Council’s crosshairs on its very first day.

AN electric scooter hire business launched on the Gold Coast this week is already in the council’s crosshairs, with officers threatening to seize scooters dumped on footpaths.

Ride On Australia launched a widespread trial yesterday, with dozens of its eye-catching black and yellow electric scooters now available for hire through its RIDE app around Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

The pilot program comes just a week after the State Government legalised the use of electric scooters on footpaths with a maximum speed limit of 25km/h.

Tourists Alexander Culic and Nusrat Shuprity try out the new RIDE e-scooters which launched on the Gold Coast yesterday. Photo: Supplied.

However Ride is using a loophole to dodge council approval and said it was unlikely to apply until next year, setting the scene for a showdown with the local authority.

Co-founder and acting chief executive Aaron LaLux said the business had submitted a proposal to the council but a formal application had not been approved for the business.

“(Council) have said that they need more information about this sort of operational model before they can make a decision, so our response was if you want more information then we’ll go ahead and do a trial,” he said.

“We are operating completely legally and we are working with council to get a working memorandum of understanding in place so that we can have very clear definition of what can and cannot be done.”

A row of RIDE e-scooters ready to be hired on Chevron Island. Photo: Talisa Eley

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The company is taking advantage of a loophole by paying existing local businesses, like cafes, to act as collection points for the scooters.

However users are also free to leave them out on public property to be collected for charging overnight.

“The law on the books is that we cannot base our operations on public property,” Mr LaLux said.

“We’re able to respond fast, so if one is left on a footpath (council) can contact us and we can deal with it so that we’re not pulling any additional resources from them.”

Tayla Jackson takes one of the new Ride e-scooters for a spin in Chevron Island. Photo: Talisa Eley

A Gold Coast City Council spokeswoman said the council had no knowledge of the company launch until it was approached by the Gold Coast Bulletin this week.

She said the council would keep a close eye on the business and take action against any offences.

“They do not have a permit or approval to operate in the city from public land and the city is also investigating potential development compliance issues,” she said.

“The city is closely monitoring the situation and will take appropriate enforcement action if required, noting that scooters abandoned on public property may be seized.”

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said last week’s state legislation around “rideables’’ only dealt with the legality of the scooters and did not cover business operators.

What are RIDE scooters?

● App-based electric scooter hire at Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh.

● Hire for $1, then pay 25 cents for every minute used.

● 10pm curfew.

● Legal to use on footpaths.

● Riders must be over 12 years old and wear a helmet.

● To create an account, riders must have a credit card and driver’s licence.

● Scooters collected from local businesses that act as “hubs”.

● Locals can earn $7 per scooter for collecting and charging them at home overnight.

● Riders can be reported by members of the public for bad behaviour.