Toowoomba Regional Council Infrastructure Committee vote against trial of e-scooters

Hire e-scooters in Toowoomba may not go ahead until next year after a council committee voted not to go ahead with a trial, despite a majority of young people responding to their community survey voting in favour of the proposal.

Pedestrians hoping to zip through the Garden City on hired e-scooters may have to wait a bit longer to see the polarising mode of transportation after a recent committee vote.

Toowoomba Regional Council’s Infrastructure Committee voted on Tuesday in favour of a report recommendation to not proceed to an e-device trial, and review the matter in 2023/24 after state government laws come into effect.

The Queensland Government in June announced a crackdown on electronic scooters coming into effect from November 1, with reduced speed limits to 12km/h on some footpaths, as well as requiring that the scooters be equipped with warning devices.

The Proposed Toowoomba E-Devices Implementation report revealed the results of council’s public survey and engagement which showed the community was “evenly divided over this initiative”.

The report revealed 1285 members of the community responded, with 61 per cent under the age of 55.

“Overall responses indicated 46 per cent supported a trial, whilst 54 per cent did not support a trial, but of the overall responses 44 per cent of those responded were unaware of road rules regarding e-devices and indicated their answers may have been different if they were more aware of the State legislation,” the report stated.

“Of that targeted user demographic of under the age of 55 years, over 60 per cent of those respondents were supportive of a trial. Of those who were supportive of the trial, 53 per cent preferred the e-scooter while 39 per cent preferred the e-bike.”

Electric scooter hire has hit the skids in Toowoomba. Picture: iStock/bortnikau

Council’s traffic and infrastructure technology systems principal Rod Betts said the survey was “probably one of the most popular community engagement exercises” ever conducted by council’s Have Your Say website.

“It would be fair to say the feedback from the community engagement was fairly balanced in terms of for and against with some difference between age groups and demographics,” he said.

“At this point we’re suggesting the recommendation we not proceed to trial at this point but to consider it in perhaps in six, nine, (or) 12 months time, after the changes to the road rules come through.”

In view of the response Mr Betts told the committee the report’s recommendation to hold off on proceeding to a trial was in light of the pending state government legislation which would go towards addressing the health and safety concerns of pedestrians and riders.

The Infrastructure Committee voted in favour of the recommendation to not proceed with the trial, but the issue will be before the Ordinary Meeting of council next week for endorsement.