The Queensland government has announced that e-scooter regulations will be reformed as a measure to safely operate the machines amid growing popularity.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark bailey stated late last week that reforms need to be made to ensure e-scooter users are kept as safe as possible.
“The rising popularity of e-scooters is a clear sign they aren’t going to disappear,” the Minister said.
“We know that people are going to keep using them so the key is making sure that shared spaces like footpaths and bike-lanes are as safe as they can be,”
“That’s why I joined industry and user groups, disability advocates, health, police and government experts late last year to understand what needs to be done to make e-scooters and their use safer for people riding them and those they ride near.”
Changes that will be made to e-scooter usage include footpath speed limits reduced to 12km/h, improved signage, and markings as well as increased fines and penalties for anyone caught using the e-scooter irresponsibly. The press release also said that the government will be looking to create new laws that will ensure penalties for people who drink, and drug drive the scooters.
Beam Australia and New Zealand General Manager Tom Cooper told NewsCop that the new reforms brought in by the Queensland government will be adhered to.
“The safety of Beam’s riders and the wider community is of utmost importance to us, and we’re supportive of any legislative changes that ensure the safety of all who use the roads,” he said.
“We see these reforms as part and parcel of micromobility continuing to be integrated into a city’s transport network, and we hope these changes spur more investment in protected infrastructure for active transport,”
“We’ll continue to work with the state and local governments to bring the best in micro-mobility technology and infrastructure to Queensland.”
Beam has the only free e-scooter training program in Australia while they also have implemented a three-strike policy in which riders who break the rules will have their accounts banned.
A Neuron representative told NewsCop that the new reforms will be welcomed but that the current rules apply.
“E-scooters have been embraced by the communities we operate in throughout Queensland, with over 7 million kilometres travelled across Brisbane, Townsville and Bundaberg,” they said.
“The overwhelming majority of people ride responsibly, and our e-scooters have been embraced by locals,”
“We will continue to prioritise safety-focused initiatives to reduce the risks as much as possible, and we support the Queensland Government’s new regulations to improve safety, not just for riders but for the entire community.
According to Nine News, three per cent of Queenslanders say they use an e-scooter regularly which is double the national average.
Lime had been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
