Melbourne officials vote to ban rental e-scooters

Melbourne officials vote to ban rental e-scooters

People ride e-scooters in Melbourne's central business district on August 14

Melbourne has become the latest city to ban rental e-scooters, abruptly moving to end a trial contract with two firms after a community revolt.

After a six-to-four council vote late Tuesday, city authorities said they would give operators Lime and Neuron 30 days to rid the city centre of the two-wheeled contraptions.

Mayor Nicholas Reece -- a former executive at the men's health charity Movember -- backed the move and said it had popular support.

He alleged scooters had been scattered around the city "like confetti", posing a risk to the community.  

For fans, e-scooters are a transport revolution -- allowing commuters to zip around crowded cities with ease and at minimal cost. 

For detractors, they are injury-inducing street litter and a hipsters' plague on peaceful pedestrians. 

In just two decades, e-scooters have grown into a worldwide market worth tens of billions of dollars a year.

But Melbourne follows cities from Barcelona to Montreal in banning or limiting where e-scooters can go.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales report the growth of e-scooters has brought a rise in related injuries and hospital admissions, mostly from men aged in their late 20s to early 30s.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital recorded 256 e-scooter-related injuries in 2022. 

Rental company Neuron Mobility said Melbourne's "drastic" decision was made without "proper discussion".

"We still believe that Melbourne is an excellent city for e-scooters," Neuron's local general manager Jayden Bryant told AFP.

"If given the opportunity, we could quickly implement a variety of measures to address many, if not all, of the councillors' concerns."

arb/lec/fox