E-scooter trial in NSW town to reduce spiking footpath collisions

A new rule is about to be trialled which could change the way residents use the booming mode of transport forever.

An e-scooter trial begins in Lake Macquarie on Monday. Picture: Supplied

The first trial of a shared path for e-scooters begins on Monday in a coastal NSW town.

The 12-month trial, being conducted in Lake Macquarie, will involve riders being allowed to drive along dedicated shared paths.

Lake Macquarie is the first local government area in NSW to deploy e-scooters after two successful three-month trials in other towns.

The trial allows riders to use dedicated shared paths. Picture: Supplied

“E-scooters offer an exciting new mode of mobility, but we’re making haste slowly to learn how we can safely integrate them onto our roads and shared paths,” Minister Active Transport Rob Stokes said.

E-scooters will be available for use on four tracks only in Lake Macquarie: the Fernleigh Track, the Croudace Bay foreshore, the Warners Bay foreshore and up to Glendale, and the Toronto foreshore to Fassifern train station.

Riders will be permitted to travel along selected shared paths while wearing a helmet and keeping within the speed limit of 10km/h.

They cannot ride on roads or pedestrian footpaths.

Riders must keep to the speed limit and not use roads or pedestrian paths. Picture: Supplied

Beam e-scooters will be fitted with technology which “geo-fences” the vehicle to only be able to operate within the trial routes.

The trial will also be limited to riders over the age of 16 years old, while a ban on privately owned e-scooters remains in place.

A three-month trial of shared e-scooters at Western Sydney Parklands and the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan earlier this year recorded no reported safety incidents across 4000 trips.