City to ratchet up e-scooter fines but calls persist for tougher clampdown

E-scooter riders dangerously flouting the rules will be slapped with harsher penalties under a planned crackdown but lord mayoral candidate Arron Wood wants the city to go further.

E-scooter riders caught flouting the rules will be slapped with harsher penalties in a ­concerted effort to crack down on unsafe and dangerous ­riding around the city.

A raft of new measures have been floated by the City of Melbourne to bring users under control, including capping the number of e-scooters allowed to operate in the city, steeper fines and new ­exclusion zones.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the council was putting operators “on notice” and warned if they weren’t able to abide by the rules they would be “out of the game” entirely.

“Most riders do the right thing – but some continue to break the law,” Cr Reece said.

“They endanger themselves and others by riding on footpaths, riding without helmets, double-dinking (having more than one rider on the scooter) and leaving e-scooters thrown across the city like rubbish.

“We know traders, residents, workers and visitors are fed up with it – and they’re right to demand change.”

E-scooter riders will cop harsh penalties for riding without helmets. Picture: Ian Currie

The council will consider a raft of new regulations aimed at stamping out the bad ­behaviour, reducing the amount of clutter in the city and holding e-scooter operators accountable.

“This includes stricter penalties for rule breakers, new footpath detection technology and targeted exclusion zones,” Cr Reece said.

Included in the lengthy and sweeping proposal, fines will be increased for those caught riding on a footpath, not wearing a helmet, drinking alcohol while riding or riding while underage. They currently range between $197 and $246.

New offences will also be introduced for e-scooter ­passengers caught without a helmet.

Lord mayoral candidate Arron Wood backed harsher controls, but said they needed to go further.

Riding on footpaths will result in fines. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

He called for clauses to be inserted into contracts with e-scooter operators requiring the installation of dashcams to prevent footpath use and ­pedestrian-detection tech to avoid collisions.

“These measures will ensure that e-scooters remain a viable and safe mode of transport in Melbourne, but they must be used responsibly,” Mr Wood said. “Our city deserves nothing less.”

The proposal also seeks to create on-road e-scooter parking bays, reduce the fleet of shared scooters by 300 and cap the number of scooters in the Hoddle Grid at 800.

There are currently about 1500 shared e-scooters operating in the city.

The City of Melbourne is also seeking to adopt powers that would allow it to tear up contracts with e-scooter operators if these new standards were not met.

Councillors will vote to enact some or all of the tougher measures at the Future Melbourne Committee meeting on Tuesday.

If passed, they will be introduced as early as October 31.

There are about 1500 shared e-scooters operating in the city. Picture: Brendan Beckett

It comes after the state ­government announced changes to the e-scooter scheme in July.

The 14-page report has been touted as the biggest overhaul of share-hire e-scooter regulation since they were introduced in Victoria in 2021.

The main concerns outlined in the agenda include a need for stronger enforcement, footpath riding, carrying passengers, riding while intoxicated and helmet usage.

Mr Reece said it was clear the e-scooter scheme had ­become “wildly popular” in Melbourne, with more than nine million trips serviced since 2022.

Despite this, the council has, for the better part of two years, continued to drag its feet on making e-scooter ­providers a permanent fixture in the city.

Earlier this month, it ­announced the trial on e-scooters in Melbourne’s inner city would be extended by six months. The trial phase has now been extended three times since the scheme was launched in Melbourne in early 2022, with the latest ­extension granted to investigate safety and compliance measures.