Dockless electric scooter scheme to be rolled out in Port Phillip
A new trial which could see hundreds of dockless electric scooters dotted around Melbourne’s bayside suburbs would not be a repeat of the oBike debacle, which saw bikes vandalised and dumped in city waterways, Port Phillip Council says.
Inner South
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner South . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Dockless scooters could soon be dotted throughout Port Phillip streets.
But Port Phillip Council is adamant it won’t be a repeat of the oBike fiasco, which saw hundreds of the yellow dockless bikes vandalised and dumped on nature strips and in the city’s waterways and more than 150 complaints about wayward bicycles made to the council during the Singapore-based company’s year-long stint in Melbourne.
Mayor Dick Gross told the Leader stringent regulations would be required to prevent the scooters becoming another scourge of the streets — something the oBike debacle lacked.
“As the arrival of oBike to Melbourne in June 2017 was unannounced, there was no opportunity for a Victorian Government regulatory framework to be ready to manage the arrival of this new transport choice,” he said.
“In contrast, a lot of planning is already underway into how a trial of electric scooters could be run safely.”
MORE:
PUSH TO MAKE PORT PHILLIP BOOZE BAN PERMANENT
ICONIC BEACH RESTAURANT DISHING UP $2 OYSTERS
SUSPECTED DOG BAIT ALMOST KILLS BELOVED POOCH
Cr Gross said several issues would need to be considered before the council went ahead with a trial — which would see up to 500 scooters appear on Port Phillip streets — including litter and vandalism management issues, liability and the cost to the council.
“Council has been advocating to the Minister for Transport and the Department of Transport for the introduction of regulations and minimum service standards to enable shared transport services to operate while protecting the safety of residents, workers, visitors and public amenity,” he said.
Other factors to be considered include speed, power, age limit, helmet requirements and whether scooters could be used on footpaths.
Californian company Lime last November confirmed it was looking to set up in Melbourne, hot on the heels of its Brisbane rollout.
The bright green electric scooters also hit the streets of Adelaide in April this year, but were told to pack up and leave just days later after Adelaide City Council awarded permits to rival scooter candidates Beam and Ride instead.
Cr Gross said no decision had been made about which company would be engaged for the trial.
“(The trial) will involve a competitive and transparent selection process,” he said.
“We have not entered into an agreement with any operator at this stage.”
Councillors last night voted to push ahead with a trial.