By Conor Fowler
First Melbourne had the blue bikes, then came the orange ones that seemed to spend a lot of time under water. Others followed, of various hues, and now the city is abuzz with swarms of brightly coloured electric scooters.
The scooters are part of a one-year trial, which began this week, of 1500 e-scooters from Neuron Mobility (orange scooters) and Lime (green and white), which have been distributed across the municipalities of Melbourne, Port Phillip and Yarra.
E-scooters are being trialled in Melbourne.Credit: Penny Stephens
City of Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp said she hoped the new trial would make Melbourne a more attractive and accessible city for visitors and residents alike.
“The trial will provide another fun new way to get to your next meeting, meet people after work or explore our stunning city,” Cr Capp said.
A spokesperson for Lime said the trial had started well, with more than 15,000 rides taken over the first four days. About 4000 people had gone through Lime’s online e-scooter driving safety school.
The e-scooters will be restricted to 20 km/h and are able to be ridden on bike lanes, shared paths and low-speed roads. Footpaths are off limits.
For the first month of the trial, Neuron will be offering free rides between 5am and 9am, with technology to promote responsible riding. Helmets must be worn.
“Safety is our top priority: it dictates our e-scooter design and also the way we operate them,” said Richard Hannah, head of Neuron Mobility for Australia and New Zealand.
During the failed trial of oBikes in 2017, many ended up at the bottom of the Yarra River. Mr Hannah told radio station 3AW that the scooters had in-built technology that prevented them being parked in questionable locations, such as near rivers.
Those wanting to use the e-scooters will need to download the app of the e-scooter provider and scan a QR code.
Regan Smith rode to the CBD from Prahran.Credit: Penny Stephens
They cost 45¢ a minute of riding, plus an additional $1 to unlock the scooter. Riders need to be aged 18 or older.
Regan Smith is one of many who have tried out the new e-scooters, riding one from her home in Melbourne’s inner south into the CBD on Friday morning. She said it was a safe, affordable and enjoyable option for getting around Melbourne.
“I rode in from just past Prahran and it was like $12, better than an Uber,” Ms Smith said.
She hopes Melburnians embrace the scooters as a new method of commuting.
“I hope people see the benefit and don’t ruin it [with dumping] ... it’s great fun,” she said.
The new e-scooters will provide another avenue for the reduction of carbon emissions, helping the state government to support its pledge of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
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