Community concern over e-scooter trials in Tassie
Council is attempting to quell community concerns ahead of e-scooter trials in Hobart and Launceston that are expected to kick off in coming months. LATEST >>
Tasmania
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The Launceston City Council is attempting to quell community concerns ahead of an upcoming e-scooter trial.
Launceston City Council project officer Jarred Ranson said the council’s number one priority was safety and they were working to ensure problems seen in previous trials such as scooter dumping or scooters being parked on paths were not repeated.
“We are confident we can find vendors who have creative outcomes to address some the issues from early adopter,” he said
The trials in both Launceston and Hobart are expected to begin by the end of the year and will run for 12 months.
Launceston City Mayor Albert Van Zetten said they were a lightweight and convenient transport option in many cities across the world, and they will present some exciting challenges and opportunities for Launceston.
“Micromobility devices like e-scooters are another transport option for people who don’t have
access to a car, or who may only need to travel a short distance to reach their destination, and we expect the popularity of these devices to boom in coming years,” he said.
The City of Launceston and City of Hobart are undertaking a joint expressions of interest process to find a suitable supplier and operator for the trial, with a decision expected in coming weeks.
Vendors have been asked to demonstrate how they will meet community expectations in terms of safety for riders and the general public, encourage responsible riding, and incentivise responsible parking.
Currently six submissions have been received.
“It’s a mix of Australian vendors and international vendors that have an exceptional track record of conducting trials of the same scale, including in cities of a similar size to Launceston,” Mr Ranson said.
E-scooters are already in use in other Australian cities including Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Darwin.
Before the trials can go ahead an amendment has to be passed to legalise the use of e-scooters.
Under the current regulations e-scooters with a maximum power output of more than 200 watts are classified as motor vehicles and are not permitted on any public street, road, footpath, shared path or open public space.
Most e-scooters currently on the market fall within that category and cannot be legally used for transport.
The state government has said the change to legalise e-scooters will be implemented by summer.
It will legalise their use for anyone 16 years old or older and apply to both private and commercial ‘hire and ride’ operators, with helmets also mandatory.
It will also apply to other devices like e-skateboards and hoverboards.
Electric scooters create buzz for small Tassie businesses
Shared electric scooters touting environmental and traffic congestion benefits could also support businesses in the city, Tasmanian Small Business Council CEO Robert Mallet says.
Hobart and Launceston City Councils have received six submissions for their expression of interest to provide rental e-scooters through a 12 month trial, which would begin by the end of the year.
Mr Mallett said the extra wheels could motivate workers to spend more at businesses.
“My colleagues and I probably wouldn’t walk or catch another taxi to get to North Hobart for lunch from the office, but we could nip out on a scooter and be back at work in time,” he said.
Mr Mallett said the scooters might not be ideal for people on a shopping haul, but hoped tourists and local workers would benefit.
“If people can’t get a carpark they’re less inclined to come into the city to work for us, so if there’s anything we can do to enhance the park and ride concept, then as businesses in the city it will be easier for them to access their workplace,” Mr Mallett said.
He said introducing e-scooters would also provide employment for people to collect, recharge and organise the machines.
HCC Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the EOI submissions were being evaluated.
“We expect a report to come to Council by the end of August,” she said.
“Based on what we’ve seen from other capital cities, electric scooters can be a useful option for some people move around the city.
“We will learn from the lessons from our capital city colleagues and ensure the successful operator has a proven track record of dealing with safety issues.”
She said more details would be released soon.
Among the EOI applicants is Neuron Mobility, which runs e-scooters in Brisbane, Townsville, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin and Bundaberg.
Head of Neuron Australia and New Zealand Richard Hannah said company research revealed 40-55 per cent of e-scooter trips replaced car journeys.
He said 70 per cent of trips led to making a purchase in the city, with heavier users mostly spending their hard-earned at restaurants and lighter users choosing to buy clothes.
Mr Hannah said an app-controlled helmet lock, “topple detection” and a triple-0 emergency button would keep riders safe.
He said single trips would cost $1 to unlock the e-scooter plus 45 cents per minute, with an option for regular uses to pay in three-day, week-long, or month-long instalments.
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