Council puts skid marks on electric scooter trials in Cairns CBD

If you are terrified by the thought of sharing the footpath with tourists zipping around on electric scooters, there is a decision coming that you will not want to miss. VOTE IN THE POLL

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A GROUNDHOG’S Day decision on running electric scooter hire trials in the pedestrian intestines of the Cairns CBD is about to run its course with one key player missing from the equation.

Cairns Regional Council last month postponed its determination in order to take further advice on the l ikely fallout of allowing e-scooter trials in the city.

The matter is back on the table for tomorrow’s meeting with the same rejection recommendation – despite no one from the council making contact with the biggest player in the game, Lime.

E-scooters from scooter-sharing company Lime are seen at Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie on June 23, 2019. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)

The rideshare e-scooter company’s public affairs manager Nelson Savanh was surprised to learn the decision was back on the agenda.

“I haven’t had any contact from council – no request for extra information or feedback,” he said.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunities around this and the recommendation really doesn’t match up with what the report says.

“It says police aren’t opposed to it and that there’s no financial cost to council.

“It says, OK, there are risks but we can manage them.

“To me it just doesn’t stack up – there’s no overwhelming reasons not to support it.”

Lime Scooters in the Brisbane CBD.

Mr Savanh hoped he would get a chance to make another pitch to the council, or even send up a demonstration scooter so the local government decision-makers could have a ride themselves.

“If there’s anything extra they want, we would be happy to come to the table,” he said.

The report also identifies potential injuries due to misuse and problems with footpaths becoming blocked by unused scooters, although it noted scooters would be taken off the streets at night and redeployed in the morning.

LIME SCOOTERS

■ 23.8km/h top speed

■ Already operating in Brisbane and Adelaide, with moves afoot to add Sydney and Melbourne to the list

■ Californian-based company has received more than $1 billion in funding since starting in June two years ago

■ Employees collect scooters overnight and charge them before returning them to set locations the next morning

Originally published as Council puts skid marks on electric scooter trials in Cairns CBD